All About Cardinals

• Facts
• Range & Habitat
• Songs & Calls
• Nests
• Eggs, Chicks & Juveniles
• Cardinal Trivia

Feeding Cardinals

• Seeds, Grains & Legumes
• Mixes
• Other Foods
• Storing Birdseed
• Feeding Q&A

Bird Feeders

• Feeder Types
• Placing Feeders

Food & Feeder Quick-Chart

Maintaining Feeders & Good Practices

• Cleaning Your Feeders
• Protecting Cardinals

About the Author

Feeder Types

Platform, Tray or Ground Feeder: Also known as a fly-through feeder. Usually has a flat, open surface for seeds. Hangs from a series of wires or chains, rests on a central post or pole, or sits on the ground with the bottom of the tray about 12 inches off the ground. Made of wood or metal and often has a series of holes or slots for water drainage. Some have a protective roof.

Hopper Feeder: Often made of wood or recycled material. a central storage area, called the hopper, holds a large number of seeds, which are slowly released. Seeds are visible through the plexiglass sides, so you know when to refill.

Tube Feeder: A clear plastic tube with feeding pegs at metal openings for accessing seeds. Small to large sizes hold different amounts of seeds. Some have a bottom tray for extra seeds, which cardinals use as a landing platform. Hang from shepherd’s hooks or set on top of posts or poles.

Window Feeder: Made of lightweight plastic or wood. Suction cups adhere these feeders to window surfaces, allowing for close viewing. Many types of foods, such as seeds, mixes, mealworms and fruit can be used in window feeders. Be sure to check the Food & Feeder Quick-chart on pages 40–41 for some of the best combinations to offer cardinals food.

Suet Feeder: A treated metal cage that holds a preformed cake of suet. Cardinals feed easily from styles with a stand at the bottom for perching. Some have a roof, which sheds rainwater and accumulations of snow and protects the food from bird droppings. Hangs from a chain or attaches to a post.

Mealworm Feeder: Usually plastic with tall sides. Material needs to be slippery so live mealworms can’t crawl out. Many kinds of dishes and trays exist to feed cardinals this treat. You can also recycle a plastic food container and fashion your own design.

Mesh Feeder: Constructed with metal mesh to hold peanuts. Usually consists of a long tube large enough to hold a plentiful supply of nuts. Small openings for peanut pieces, larger openings for peanuts in shells, and cardinals need to work at getting any out. Releases only one peanut at a time.

Placing Feeders

Feeding cardinals is our pleasure, so always put feeders where you can easily watch and enjoy them. They should be near an area in your home where you spend a lot of time and in a comfortable place where you can see outside clearly.

Most feeding stations are about 20–40 feet away from residences. Placing feeders closer draws cardinals to where you can easily see them. However, the closer the feeders, the more likely you will have window strikes.

Feeders close to shrubs or other cover give cardinals a place to stage and look for predators before flying in to feed. Plant cover also gives them a quick place to hide in case a hawk swoops in. Feeders in the middle of large open spaces usually don’t attract many cardinals.

Place feeders where squirrels can’t get to them. The basic placement rule is 5 feet and 8 feet—meaning feeders should be at least 5 feet off the ground and at least 8 feet from any other surface from which a squirrel can jump. This includes trees, houses, sheds, charcoal grills, birdbaths, patio furniture and anything else a squirrel can climb to jump onto feeders.

When placing feeders, be sure to install a squirrel or raccoon baffle on each one. Baffles are metal tubes that prevent these animals from climbing your shepherd’s hooks and accessing the bird food.

Remember to do some ground feeding. This style of feeding attracts many cardinals, so you’ll want to scatter seed around your yard, but not in your flower garden. The constant scratching by the birds and the mat of hulls and shells that accumulates will kill any plants you are trying to grow.

Choose a place where seed waste won’t kill the grass. Perhaps landscape an area of the yard dedicated to bird feeding with rocks, shrubs and a water element.

Multiple feeders bring in larger numbers of cardinals. Cardinals perching on each of the feeding pegs prevent more individuals from accessing the seeds, so place more feeders to accommodate the other birds.

Provide a variety of feeders to attract more cardinals. if possible, choose one of each type to offer a nutritious, well-balanced assortment of food.

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