I have two indoor cats whose favorite TV show is watching the bird feeders right outside the dining room window. I don’t know who enjoys watching the birds more, me or them, so we keep our feeders up year-round. But when it comes to springtime bird feeding, there are a few different rules to play by. To ensure you have plenty of colorful visitors this time of year, you’ll want to avoid making these seven common bird feeding mistakes.
Welcome Back & Welcome Babies
Spring isn’t just a time of transition for the landscape. As well as green grass, beautiful flowers and trees leafing out, many migratory birds make their way back to your feeders after spending the winter in warmer climes.
It’s also the time of year for love.
Or at least for nest-building and baby birds. As I write this, I’ve got three pairs of cardinals in my neck of the woods, and I’m hoping that their efforts this spring will mean more flashes of red against the snow this winter.
If you want to ensure a healthy, successful spring season at your bird feeders, here are seven common springtime feeding mistakes to avoid. Not doing so can mean birds will go somewhere else or, worse, could cause illness or injury.
1. Leaving Dirty Feeders Up
Winter takes a toll on your feeders. Rain, snow, wind, extreme temperatures—all contribute to moldy seed, compacted suet, and grime that can be downright dangerous to birds. Dirty feeders are a breeding ground for bacteria and disease. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, unclean feeders can spread infections like salmonella, which has caused mass die-offs in some finch populations in recent years.
Cold temperatures can cause some plastics to become brittle over time, making them more likely to break. Check over feeders in the spring to look for cracks where water can get in and spoil seed. Replace any broken feeders. This one is pretty great and can accommodate two different sizes of seed.
Clean your feeders by soaking them in a diluted bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water), then scrub and rinse thoroughly. Continue to clean feeders every two weeks—or more often if you have an especially wet spring.
2. Putting Out the Wrong Foods
Spring naturally means baby birds! As insects become more available, many of your feeder visitors shift to protein-rich diets for breeding. High-fat foods like suet (make your own suet cakes!) may still attract woodpeckers and nuthatches, but bread, cracked corn, and cheap seed mixes (looking at you, milo and red millet) won’t do much except attract starlings and squirrels.
Instead, focus on more nutrient-dense options. Black oil sunflower seeds, mealworms (dried or live), shelled peanuts, safflower seeds, and nectar for hummingbirds are great springtime choices. If you’re lucky enough to have orioles, try orange halves and grape jelly.
3. Feeding in the Wrong Spot
Far too often, we place feeders with our viewing pleasure in mind. We forget to take into consideration convenience and safety for the birds. To prevent collisions, you need to place feeders either up close to windows (within 3 feet) or far away (around 30 feet). You can also use special stickers on your windows to avoid collisions.
Place bird feeders near shrubs and trees so they have a safe place to fly to if they feel threatened. If you have outdoor cats in your neighborhood, you don’t want to place feeders too close to bushes, as cats can hang out in the shrubs waiting for the birds.
4. Neglecting Seasonal Changes
Birds migrate. That flashy red cardinal you adore? He’s probably sticking around. But the white-throated sparrows or dark-eyed juncos might be gone soon. Likewise, summer visitors like rose-breasted grosbeaks and hummingbirds are just arriving.
It’s time to adjust your bird feeding setup for spring. Add nectar feeders for hummingbirds in late April to early May. Offer fruit for orioles. And if you want to help warblers or bluebirds, consider mealworms and water sources. Reach out to your local ag extension office with questions about regional migration patterns so you know who’s coming and going.
5. Forgetting Water
Food gets all the glory, but birds need water just as much—especially in early spring before fresh growth hasn’t fully emerged yet. A reliable water source can attract species that never visit feeders.
Set out a shallow dish with clean water. Better yet, add a dripper or solar-powered fountain (this one is so pretty)—moving water is a bird magnet. Clean baths every few days and refill with fresh water.
6. Letting Feeders Go Empty
In spring, birds are tiny little furnaces burning up calories just as fast as they can consume them. They’re showing off to attract mates, building nests, defending territories, and some are recovering from long migration journeys.
Check on feeders daily, especially in the mornings and early evenings, which are peak feeding times. And make sure you’re not overfilling—smaller amounts refreshed often are better than huge amounts that go moldy.
7. Overlooking the Bigger Picture
Feeding birds at your feeders is truly enjoyable, but if the rest of your yard isn’t bird-friendly, then you’re missing the big picture. And spring is the perfect time to go beyond the feeder.
Look around your yard and think habitat. Native plants and shrubs can be great sources of natural food and shelter. Avoid pesticides. Leave brush piles or dead snags for nesting. Add nesting boxes if you have space. Make your garden a place where birds want to stay—not just grab-and-go.
15 Colorful Trees & Shrubs to Attract Stunning Birds To Your Backyard
If birds have a safe place to nest with a steady supply of food, they’re much more likely to stick around.
So, this spring, as you turn your attention to all the outdoor tasks and chores that come with the season, don’t forget to give a little back to our feathered friends. They’ll happily take care of insects in our gardens for us and add flashes of beautiful color to our flowers.
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