Feeding birds is a great way to help and get to know your local wildlife, and there's a wide range of bird feeders and bird feed available. One of my favourite ways to feed birds is via a window bird feeder, as it allows that feeling of intimacy. It's good fun to be stood doing the washing up (well, that bit isn't so fun), when a small bird suddenly appears at eye level opposite you.
Head over to our wildlife garden hub for more advice and reviews, including best wildlife gardening books, how to make a wildlife pond, and how to make a bee hotel.
Tips for using a window bird feeder
The most likely birds to visit your window bird feeder are robins, blue tits, great tits and finches, and best types of bird feed to use are seed, sprinkles and mealworms (also peanut butter for the final window bird feeder featured in this round-up).
When putting up your window bird feeder, make sure that the window is clean and dry, and soak the suckers in warm water to make them more pliable. You can either put up the suckers without the feeder attached, if you can work out where they are meant to go, or slot the suckers onto the feeder and then attach them. Leave them for a couple of hours to allow the suckers to settle, and then added the desired food.
If you've got one, you may wish to set up a wildlife recording camera to film and keep track of which birds are visiting your feeder.
Best window bird feeders
RSPB Window Bird Feeder
This window bird feeder from the RSPB is made from tough, non-yellowing polycarbonate and comes with three strong suction cups, spread across the top and bottom of the feeder, for attaching to glass windows. It comes with a small roof to keep some of the rain, snow, hail, etc off the seed. The tray can be detached from the backing and roof section, so that it can be cleaned separately while leaving the back section in place on the window – this makes cleaning much easier, without the faff of having to take off the whole window bird feeder.
Henry Bell window bird feeder
- Buy now from Oldrids & Downton (£6.99), Cowell's Garden Centre (£7.99).
A nice simple design with a pitched roof that encourages the rain to run off to the sides, this window bird feeder comes pre-assembled and is easy to put up with three strong suction cups. The tray is quite deep, should you want to load quite a lot of seed in there. It's easy to clean as well.
Apples to Pears Gift In A Tin: build your own bird feeder
- Buy now from Amazon (£12.99), Apples to Pears (£12.99).
Feeling crafty? This tin provides the wooden parts and instructions for building your own window bird feeder, and the suckers for attaching it to your window.
It's recommended for six years plus, and once assembled, the tin can be used to store seed (not provided in the kit).
The tin size measures 14.5 x 10.5 x 5.4 cm, and the assembled bird feeder measures 18 x 9 x 4 cm.
This DIY kit is part of Apples to Pears Gift In A Tin range, which also includes Build A Bee Hotel, Flower Pressing Kit and Ocean Adventures.
I Love Robins Treat Tray
Made by Jacobi Jayne as part of its I Love Robins range, which also includes a cute little illustrated dish, a special birdseed mix for robins (available in both 500g and 2kg sizes) and other bird feeders, this treat tray doesn’t come with a roof. However, a Treat Tray Canopy is available to buy separately to shield the seed from rain and snow – and allows for control over the height of the canopy, should you wish to discourage larger bird species. It’s made from strong polycarbonate and won’t discolour. It’s easy to clean and attaches to windows with two suckers.
Flutter Butter Window Feeder
Another Jacobi Jayne product, this window bird feeder is part of its Flutter Butter range where the pods can be twisted into a range of feeders – including the Hanging Feeder, Treehouse Feeder and Wall Mount. The window bird feeder is made from polycarbonate and comes with three suckers for attachment, and the feeder itself shouldn’t need detaching and cleaning often, since the pods will get replaced.
The pods are filled with no-salt peanut butter, and come in a choice of three flavours – original, buggy and fruity.
