The Hopper Feeder
The Work Horse of Bird Feeders

So what factors should you consider when selecting a hopper feeder?

1. If made of wood, it should should be screwed together. If you purchase a feeder constructed with nails, staples and glue, you're setting yourself up for disappointment because the feeder will fall apart.

2. It is important to inspect the rope, wire or chain used for hanging the feeder. The best hoppers use a wire that has an eye at each end through which a screw is inserted and then fastened to the feeder.

   This design ensures that the wire will hold the weight of the feeder.

   Do note that a hopper feeder can be pole mounted. Of course, concerns about the rope, wire or chain are then irrelevant.

3. Your hopper feeder should easily disassemble for cleaning. For instance, the Plexiglas sides of your feeder should slide out. In addition, I prefer the bottom of my hopper feeder not be made of wood; rather I prefer a metal grate with perforations that drains rain water and snow melt.

   The grate should lift out of the feeder for easy cleaning. If the bottom is made of wood, it should have very small holes for drainage. However, the metal grate is by far the superior design.

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   Advantages Of The Hopper Feeder

   The hopper feeder boasts a couple of significant advantages.

   First, many of these feeders are designed to hold a bunch of seed. This means less filling for you, and a consistent supply for the birds.

   Be warned, however.

   

   If your hopper holds more seed than the birds can eat in a reasonable amount of time, the seed will get moldy regardless of the feeder design elements.

   The amount of seed eaten by the birds will depend on your circumstances. Do you reside in a rural setting? Or is your setting suburban or urban? Is it Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter? Does your region have cold and snowy weather or is it warm year round? Does an abundance of natural foods exist near or around your feeder station?

   In general, you will want to start out with a medium-sized hopper and test how quickly the birds consume your offerings.

   Patterns will change, and so will your offerings.

   A second advantage of the hopper feeder is that they are medium and big bird friendly. Cardinals, for instance, will eat on the ground and on a tube feeder, but always prefer to eat at an elevated pitch in a hopper. Blue jays, doves, and woodpeckers will also fair well on such feeders. These birds are able to land easily and feed comfortably on even the smallest hopper style feeder.

   And what about small birds?. Remember, the birds at your feeder station will dominate one another. Chickadees, finches and sparrows will gladly visit the hopper so long as the bigger birds are not around. That's why an offering of thistle, which bigger birds don't like, in a thistle feeder is the better choice for smaller birds.

   What Seed Should I Use In A Hopper Feeder?

   You can use nearly any seed in a hopper including black oil sunflower, sunflower chips, premium blends, safflower, even peanuts. About the only bird seed you wouldn't use is thistle.
   
   I hope you found this article about the hopper feeder useful. Click here for more great information about bird feeders.
   
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