These Are the Thistle Feeders I Actually Use in My Yard

This one really surprised me. I bought it after squirrels completely destroyed a plastic feeder once I switched to sunflower chips.

It has four perches, plus four additional ports above them that Downy Woodpeckers prefer. Black capped Chickadees and other clinging birds use those upper ports rather than the perches.

I hung mine in July and had American Goldfinches feeding from it within a few days, even in the middle of a Kansas summer when natural food is plentiful.

Now it is December, they are still using it, and the squirrels have given up. Refilling is easy with the simple twist off lid.

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I had my doubts, but once I filled mine with Sunflower Chips/Hearts, I started getting Goldfinches, Black-capped Chickadees, and Downy Woodpeckers all year! Holds 1.5 pounds of seed.

If you use sunflower chips or hearts, placement matters. Plan on adding a baffle above or below the feeder, depending on how it's mounted. Otherwise, squirrels will quickly destroy it.

I should add that while it's not difficult to clean, it can be more difficult to dry than other feeders.

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This feeder hangs beside my bay window during the winter, and squirrels are unable to reach it.

I bought this one from a local farm store and have not been able to find the exact same model online.

I have linked to a similar feeder that serves the same purpose, although it looks different and is slightly larger.

One thing I like about mine is its smaller size.

I also prefer feeders with perches. While goldfinches will cling to the sides, I like giving them and other birds the option to perch.

That can be done by using multiple feeders, or by choosing a single feeder that allows both perching and clinging.

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