Installing a bird feeder in your garden helps local birds, but knowing the best place to position them is key to attracting more species while keeping pests at bay
13:06, 05 Apr 2026Updated 13:15, 05 Apr 2026
Installing a bird feeder in your garden helps local birds(Image: Chris McLoughlin via Getty Images)
With spring here and nesting season having started in March, countless wildlife lovers will be preparing to help their local birds. Installing bird feeders is one particularly effective way of supporting birds during this crucial time.
During this period, natural food sources become limited, meaning treats like nuts, seeds and suet can provide birds with a vital energy boost. After purchasing a bird feeder, determining the best location to place it can prove challenging. Where you position them dictates not only whether garden birds will visit, but also which varieties you’ll see.
To keep birds protected while they feed, experts at retailer Really Wild Bird Food recommend placing your feeder near natural cover, such as trees or bushes, within a reasonable line of sight from a window.
They said: “This will keep them hidden from predators and sheltered from direct sunlight and harsh weather conditions.”
That said, steer clear of positioning your feeders directly next to trees. This makes it far too easy for squirrels and other local wildlife to steal your bird food.
Position your bird feeder a couple of feet away from the window at most(Image: Evgeniia Siiankovskaia via Getty Images)
You may assume that sitting your bird feeder close to a window isn’t sensible; understandably, you’d want to stop birds from accidentally flying into the glass and injuring themselves.
In fact, positioning bird feeders too far from your windows can actually prove more hazardous, as it gives birds the opportunity to gather speed before hitting the glass.
Experts advise: “For this reason, we recommend positioning your bird feeder a couple of feet away from the window at most.
“That way, if a bird takes off in the direction of your windows or glass doors, it won’t be flying fast enough to cause serious injury. Better still, place your feeder directly on the window or windowsill.”
Specialists suggest placing your bird feeder approximately five feet off the ground. This height makes it easy for you to top up and maintain while also stopping pets and other wildlife from raiding your bird food.
Should certain birds fail to show up at your feeder, it’s worth considering adjusting the height or introducing additional feeders at different levels from the ground.
Woodpeckers, for example, prefer feeding high up in the tree canopy, so hanging a feeder between six and 10 feet above ground might help to lure them in. Other species, such as blackbirds, robins and chaffinches, tend to favour eating from ground-level feeders.
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