Best Bird Feeders for Cardinals: Top Tips & Tricks to Attract Them (2024)

This site is supported by our readers. We may earn a commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase through links.

Inviting some of the best yard birds, like vivid Northern Cardinals, could be a nice breath of fresh air.

For that, picking out the best bird feeders for cardinals is essential. Understanding their preferences and habits will help you create an environment to which they would be very much attracted: from deciding what kind of feeder a cardinal likes most of all to how to place feeders correctly and what time of day is best to fill them.

Dive in to transform your yard into a haven for cardinals; build community and feel more connected with nature.

Choosing the Right Feeder

Choosing the right feeder for cardinals enhances your chances of attracting them effectively. Tube feeders, hopper feeders, and platform feeders each offer unique benefits that cater to these beautiful birds.

Tube Feeders

Choosing the right tube feeder for Northern Cardinals means considering perch size, durability, and tube dimensions. Cardinal bird feeders, such as the Big Tube Bird Feeder with its six ports, are ideal since they can hold safflower seeds, providing ample space for these birds to feed comfortably.

Hopper Feeders

Hopper feeders have an excellent seed capacity and are well-built, which makes them very suitable for cardinals.

Take the Recycled Hopper Bird Feeder, for example—you get to be both eco-friendly and hardy simultaneously. Just make sure to get a feeder with enough perching space for cardinals to perch on while eating and not be too chore to clean.

Or consider the Cardinal Rustic Hopper Feeder, which can hold two suet cages.

Platform Feeders

The feeding area or space that the platform feeders provide is adequate for the Cardinals.

Look for cedar in platform bird feeders to add durability, especially with enhanced protection from the weather. Platform styles help keep seeds dry, such as those with a covered design.

Perch placement allows for comfortable feeding. The tray size affects seed dispersal, making them perfect for attracting Cardinals.

Cardinal Diet Preferences

When attracting cardinals, focus on providing foods they love, such as sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, berries, and fruits. Cardinals particularly enjoy safflower seeds, which are a good option for attracting these birds as they have a tough shell that deters squirrels, making seed types like these a key consideration when choosing types of birds that eat seeds. Their preference for large seeds makes these foods ideal for filling your bird feeders regularly, ensuring a continuous supply to entice these beautiful birds to your yard.

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are a top choice for cardinals. They love:

1. Black oil sunflower seeds: High in fat and easy to shell.
2. Sunflower seed mixes: Combine them with other favorites.
3. Sunflower metal screen bird feeder: Keeps seeds dry and fresh.

Ensure you store seeds in a cool, dry place.

Safflower Seeds

Safflower seeds are a fantastic choice for cardinals, especially those looking for rodent resistant seeds

. They offer high nutritional value, similar to sunflower seeds. While cardinals prefer sunflower seeds, safflower seeds are readily available and deter squirrels. Comparing preferences, safflower seeds provide a great alternative, especially when mixed with black oil sunflower seeds and white milo.

Berries and Fruits

Cardinals also relish berry seeds and fruit flavors. Choosing fruits with seasonal availability and maintaining your feeder can attract Northern Cardinals efficiently. Opt for feeders like the Black Lantern Bird Feeder or the Cardinal Bird Feeder with Tray. Including crushed peanuts enhances appeal, encouraging frequent visits.

Optimal Feeder Placement

While filling the feeder, place it near trees and shrubs because they’ll offer the cardinals protection and ease of access. Avoid areas with too many squirrels, and make the feeder high in visibility to the birds while still being very accessible.

Near Trees and Shrubs

Place feeders near trees and shrubs to provide cardinals with easy access, cover, and quick escape routes in the event of danger. Also, ensure that the height can be adjusted for easy access and that the perch design is good enough to hold their weight. Here are the steps for effectively attracting cardinals:

1. Choose weather-resistant feeders.
2. Consider the capacity of the seed.
3. Provide bark butter.

Avoiding Squirrel Habitats

While opting for a place appropriate for your cardinal bird feeder, avoid areas frequented by squirrels. Use squirrel deterrents like squirrel-proof feeders and big squirrel blockers. Siting or placing the feeders away from the squirrels’ habitat will ensure that feeders are accessible to cardinals without interference. Place your sunflower bird feeder strategically near the natural cover.

Visibility and Accessibility

Consider the placement of your bird feeder near natural cover like shrubs and trees, which is crucial for birds’ flight paths, so it’s highly visible and accessible

. Place the feeders at eye level and avoid putting them behind obstructions. By following these simple steps:

1. Put feeders next to trees or shrubs for natural cover.
2. Don’t drive on reflective surfaces.
3. Observe for feeder spillage and clean it up regularly.

Feeding Times for Cardinals

Cardinals are most active at your feeders during dawn and dusk, but they can also be seen feeding throughout the daylight hours. By ensuring your feeders are filled and accessible during these peak periods, you’ll increase your chances of attracting these vibrant birds.

Dawn and Dusk

When placing your bird feeder, consider the feeding habits of cardinals. They’re most active during dawn and dusk, times when they feel safest from predators.

Early morning and late evening are prime times to fill up your cedar pavilion platform bird feeder. Make sure it’s easily accessible and visible from a distance.

The metal cardinal bird feeder can be particularly effective during these hours, considering cardinal behavior and seasonal feeding patterns.

Daylight Hours

During daylight hours, you’ll often spot cardinals visiting bird feeders, especially when you provide their preferred seeds. They enjoy stations like sunflower bird feeders offering a mix of their favorite foods. To attract them:

• Position feeders at eye level, near trees, and shrubs.
• Keep food fresh and feeders clean to avoid harmful chemicals.
• Avoid placing feeders close to low shrubs where predators might hide.

This helps create a safe, inviting space for cardinals.

Troubleshooting Feeder Issues

When introducing new feeders, allow time for the birds to adjust by making sure that feeders are within their line of sight and accessibility. Offering a mix of seeds will attract a greater variety of bird species and keep them interested in what you offer.

Adjusting to New Feeders

When introducing a new feeder, cardinals might need some time to adapt. Be patient—a well-designed feeder made from durable materials, placed at the right height, and kept clean can make a big difference. A sunflower bird feeder or a squirrel blocker feeder can be particularly effective.

Ensuring Visibility and Accessibility

The feeder design should show clear visibility and easy accessibility. Place your bird feeders close to trim trees and shrubs; this simplest way provides freshness to seed and maintenance. Add some weatherproofing to protect the feed. Ensure to follow etiquette for birdwatching: a birdwatcher avoids access by predators to feeding spots—position at eye level for best results.

Providing Variety

Provide variety by using different shapes and types of bird feeders, including suction cup window feeders and those with seed perches. Clear plastic feeders work well too. Offer a mix of seeds like sunflowers, safflower, cracked corn, and flavored seed mixes. Add a protective cover to shield from weather.

Attracting Cardinals With Water

Attract cardinals with a 2-3 inches deep birdbath or bird waterer, then add drippers to churn the water continuously. Heated birdbaths may be a requirement during winter to have a constant supply of water.

Birdbaths and Waterers

You’ll also need facilities for water, like birdbaths or waterers when luring cardinals. Provide a depth of about 2-3 inches so they quickly can get to the water. Clean your water vessel regularly to be free from debris and germs. Heated birdbaths become necessary sources of hydration during the winter months, especially when natural sources have frozen.

1. Maintain 2-3 inch depth
2. Clean regularly
3. Heated birdbaths can be used in the winter.

Drippers and Water Movement

Add drippers to your birdbaths, and the cardinals will think they’ve come upon an oasis. Dripper design is essential; you want a steady flow but not a drizzle. Cool water temperatures can be refreshing for birds. A shallow basin shape assists with cleaning frequency requirements.

Feature	Ideal Choice	Importance
Dripper Design	Constant flow rate	Encourages use
Water Temp	Cool	Refreshing
Basin Shape	Shallow	Ease of cleaning

Add these features and let them enhance your bird feeder setup to attract cardinals.

Heated Birdbaths

Heated birdbaths are a blessing during the winter months, as the water won’t freeze into ice, which is very important to cardinals. Here’s how to set up one efficiently:

1. Use energy efficient heaters.
2. Maintaining shallow depth of water.
3. Keep birdbaths in the Cardinal’s surroundings while using a bird feeder.
4. Check regularly and clean as necessary to keep the water fresh and free of ice.

Avoiding Cardinal Deterrents

Avoidance of the attractive features for cardinals includes reflective surfaces as they may give rise to confusion and anger in the birds. Also, keep away from harmful chemicals around food and water, keep feeders away from low shrubs where predators can hide, and keep the way out of pets while feeding to attain a cardinal-friendly environment.

Reflective Surfaces

Avoid reflective surfaces like windows or gazebos near your bird feeders to prevent cardinals from seeing their reflections and attacking out of territorial instinct. Instead, place feeder hooks, suet cakes, or a sunflower bird feeder in shaded areas. Reflective environment can disrupt their nesting and feeding behavior.

Harmful Chemicals

To keep cardinals safe, avoid harmful chemicals around your bird feeder. These substances pose health risks and contaminate water sources. Prioritize environmental impact and wildlife preservation by:

• Using organic gardening products
• Avoiding pesticides near feeders
• Keeping birdbaths clean
• Opting for natural repellents
• Ensuring eco-friendly bird feeder options

Predators and Pets

You’ll also want to keep pets away from feeding areas to safeguard cardinals. Predators like cats can jeopardize their safety. Use squirrel blocker bird feeders and design your habitat with minimal underbrush for predators to hide.

Measure	Purpose	Benefit
Use Squirrel Blockers	Predator deterrents	Protects feeders
Keep Pets Inside	Pet safety	Reduces threat
Trim Underbrush	Habitat considerations	Limits predator cover

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)