If you’re looking to attract birds to your garden or balcony, installing a bird feeder can be a highly effective solution. Even if you’re not keen on feathered friends, bird feeders make excellent gifts for nature enthusiasts among your family and friends.
Whether you’re purchasing a bird feeder for yourself or someone else, ensuring it safely attracts birds is crucial. To aid your decision-making, I consulted with birding experts about key features to consider and the best types of feed to use. Below, we’ve compiled a list of top bird feeder recommendations.
Top Bird Feeders for 2026
According to avid birder and wildlife photographer Giselle Pemberton, “I used a hopper feeder hanging from a shepherd hook in my front yard. It’s amazing for small birds.” This feeder features a 360-degree perch, allowing birds to be completely surrounded while feeding. It also includes a hood to keep seeds dry and a wide hopper for easy cleaning.
This platform feeder allows you to simply place bird seed in the base and comes with a plastic dome to shield the feed from rain. Since wet food can promote mold growth, it’s vital to keep feed dry. You can adjust the dome to accommodate larger birds or lower it to attract smaller species. Emma Greig, a project leader for Project FeederWatch at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, notes that platform feeders are favorites because they can attract a variety of birds, such as finches, pigeons, and sparrows.
Birding guide Todd Winston from New York City Audubon recommends a sturdy wood hopper feeder that has a visible seed bank and ample space for multiple visitors. Deluxe versions often come with built-in suet feeders to draw even more birds. Suet is essentially fat covered in seeds, with the suet feeder typically located on the side and sheltered by a cedar roof.
Considerations for Selecting Bird Feeders
When purchasing a bird feeder, experts recommend several key features to consider beyond the type:
- Waterproof: As Pemberton explains, if bird food gets wet, it may spoil and become harmful to birds. Make sure your feeder is designed to be waterproof.
- Easy to Clean: Greig emphasizes that the best feeders are simple to clean, suggesting that you choose feeders without decorations or crevices where debris can accumulate.
- Capacity: Winston advises ensuring that your feeder has sufficient capacity to keep it filled without frequent refills.
Understanding Different Types of Bird Feeders
Before selecting a bird feeder, it’s essential to understand the various types available. Your choice will impact the bird species you attract and the kinds of feed required. According to Winston, here are the main categories:
- Hopper Feeders: These feeders have reservoirs that gradually distribute seeds, often featuring mechanisms to deter larger birds and squirrels.
- Platform Feeders: These are simple flat boards installed over poles and are easy to fill and clean.
- Nyjer Feeders: Designed to attract tiny birds like goldfinches, these feeders come as long tubes with perches.
- Suet Feeders: These attract a range of birds including woodpeckers and chickadees, and can be filled with suet, peanut butter, or seeds.
Expert Insights on Bird Feeding
At NBC Select, we collaborate with experts who provide reliable advice based on their experience in birding and wildlife. Our recommendations are made independently to avoid financial conflict of interest.
Todd Winston serves as a birding guide for New York City Audubon, while Giselle Pemberton is a passionate wildlife photographer and bird watcher. Emma Greig leads Project FeederWatch at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York.
I am the Commerce Editor for NBC Select and frequently report on various lifestyle topics. In this piece, I consulted three birding experts to guide readers on selecting the right bird feeder.
