 A Brilliant Idea That Works |
| Review Date: May 13, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Alice Kohler, England |
This bird feeder is definitely a good buy. Bear in mind you do have to have an old plastic drinks bottle to attach it to - this does not come with the feeder. I use an old 2 litre coke bottle, which holds enough bird seed to last in my garden for a week or 2 in winter, and longer in the summer, when the birds aren't so dependent on it. Although I bought the feeder with the sucker attachment for putting on a window, I actually don't use the sucker so I can't review that, I have it hanging in an apple tree near my kitchen window instead.
PRO'S
The feeder tray is recycled plastic, and the plastic bottle you supply is one you're reusing, so it's very environmentally friendly.
When using a 2 litre bottle, it is squirrel-proof. The sides of the bottle are too slippery for them to get a grip on, and if they try reaching down from the branch it is hanging on, the bottle is too long for them to reach the bottom where the seed is - and I've seen them try often enough!
It encourages small song birds such as tits and finches - larger birds have difficulty perching on the small feeding tray, though unfortunately the jackdaws in my garden can just manage it - they've learnt to flap their wings to keep their balance while feeding. Clever corvids!
When using a 2 litre plastic bottle, you don't need to refill it very often, and also, you can clearly see the level of seed going down in the bottle.
CON'S
The worst problem is that you have to be careful of what sort of seed you buy to put in it. The seed has to run through the screwtop opening of the bottle which isn't very wide, and it can jam up if you use the wrong seed mix. I have found that sunflower seed is fine, and anything smaller such as millet, but the seed mixes that include corn/maize flakes can bung it up, which is really annoying.
The feeder tray can split and break after a lot of use. This is the third one I've had now, although the other 2 both lasted a good few years.
It is slightly fiddly to set up for the first time - you have to make small holes in your plastic bottle to attach the window sucker or string to hang it from, and it is possible to split the plastic when doing this.
It is a bit fiddly to fill with seed, because of the small opening to the bottle. I always use a funnel, and this latest feeder I bought actually came with a little funnel for this - hmm, maybe that should be in the pro's list!
To sum up, it's a simple idea that works well, though it is a bit fiddly to set up and fill. I've been using these for years, and have had a lot of pleasure watching the birds using it. |
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