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Tray Feeders
Towhees and other sparrows, doves, grosbeaks and
cardinals
are all potential visitors to Tray Feeders placed on the ground (the terms tray and platform are synonymous).This feeder style is a simple square or rectangular shape with short sides (2 or 3 inches tall at best) and usually a wire mesh bottom. The upside of using Tray Feeders is the simplicity of filling and cleaning. Also, there is nothing obstructing your view, so it can be great fun to watch a group of birds feeding from it. However, there is no way to control what visits this feeder style. Thus, many a bird watchers bemoan when they look out and see 3 or 4 squirrels devouring the seed in their feeder. The English sparrow is also renowned for overwhelming feeders placed on the ground. Other pests include the European starling and the grackle. These large birds are often found in flocks, especially in the winter, and they will devour in an hour or less whatever you place in your Tray Feeders. So what do you do? Place safflower in the feeder. Grackles and starlings will have nothing to do with this seed. It'd not be possible for me to look you in the eye and say your squirrels will be equally repulsed by safflower. Whether or not they choose to eat it may be a direct function of how much other food is currently available. Unfortunately, the safflower solution will not help you with the English sparrows. But keep in mind that by isolating this invasive species with your ground platform feeder, you are giving other birds a chance to feed at other parts of your feeder station. PLATFORM FEEDER TYPES
Platform feeders are designed to rest on the ground, be pole mounted or dangled.
The Pole Mounted Platform FeederOne type pole mounted platform feeder is called the fly-thru. This feeder typically has a roof over the platform giving a bit more protection from the weather. Because it’s pole mounted, you can baffle it to control the squirrels (keep in mind that baffles prevent bottom-up access. To be effective, you must isolate the feeder by 8 to 10 feet or the squirrel will access the feeder from the top down).I consider the pole mounted fly-thru platform feeder an essential component of a backyard bird feeding station. It provides a great viewing opportunity due to its open design. If grackles and starlings become a problem, I shift to safflower seed. If sparrows become an issue, I supplement the pole mounted fly-thru with ground level Tray Feeder —nearly all the sparrows choose this feeder over the elevated feeder.
Duncraft has developed a great platform feeder that denies squirrels their fill. The feeder incorporates a double layered grid that only the beak of a bird can penetrate. This innovation has been applied to their pole mounted fly-thru version as well the ground feeder version.
Dangling/Hanging Platform Feeders
As mentioned above, some Tray Feeders are equipped with a rope, cable or chain for hanging. Oftentimes, the feeder will have some sort of covering to help protect the seed. Hang these from a tree or Sheppard’s hook. The disadvantage with this set up is that a stiff breeze will both sway the feeder and blow out a bit of seed.
I don't hang Tray Feeders, but opt for the more stable pole mounted set up. Whichever you choose, you're sure to enjoy the great view of birds this feeder style yields.
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