10 Bird Feeders That Will Attract Hummingbirds, Finches, and More to Your Yard

Nature's Way Suet Bird Feeder

This feeder is designed to hold suet. Suet is a nutritious mixture of fat solidified into lard, nuts, and other ingredients that provides a valuable energy source to birds, allowing them to stay warm in the cold months of winter. "It attracts woodpeckers, nuthatches, jays, chickadees, titmice, and sometimes certain warblers," says Julie Zickefoose, bird expert and author of Natural Gardening for Birds. "Suet is not to be fed in summer because it gunks up woodpeckers’ feathers, especially around their faces when they feed it to their young."

Some people like to make their own suet cakes by grinding the suet and adding seeds. These cakes are then loaded into the caged feeder and strategically positioned in a tree or hung from a pole, where you will attract titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, and the occasional woodpecker to peck away at their nutty treat.

Price at time of publish: $16.41

Nature's Way Modern Hummingbird Feeder

For hummingbirds, nectar is their primary source of energy and the key to attracting these whimsical winged creatures. When shopping for a nectar feeder, choose one that securely hangs level and is less prone to spillage. Multiple feeding ports means more hummingbirds. Some people make homemade nectar by simply combining four parts water with one part refined white sugar—which will attract hummingbirds in no time.

Most designs, like this one, come in the color red for a reason: hummingbirds are naturally attracted to it. "For hummingbirds and the color red, that's a signal to them that there's a bright red flower that they might want to check for nectar," says Lowry.

Price at time of publish: $49.99

Perky-Pet Copper Panorama Wild Bird Feeder

Considered a classic, the hopper is the most commonly known of all the bird feeders. They're designed to protect seeds from inclement weather such as rain and snow, thanks to its pitched roof. Seeds are released from the bottom into a lower tray as birds flock to it and hop along the built-in perch, thus the name. It will attract an array of species (think blue jays, cardinals, and red-winged blackbirds) and filled with basic bird seed mix. The hopper is an ideal choice for someone who is just beginning to enjoy birdwatching and looking to purchase their starter feeder.

Price at time of publish: $16.98

Eva Solo Bird Table

A freestanding feeder won't require any hanging. They're ideal if your backyard isn't inhabited by many trees. While free-standing feeders come in many shapes and sizes, this one is designed to ration out the seeds to minimize waste and curious rodents. Be sure that your pole feeder, should you opt for one, is secured properly or weighted down so that it can withstand visits by squirrels that may scurry onto it.

Price at time of publish: $199.95

Songbird Essentials Bird Feeder Whole Peanuts Wreath

The peanut feeder comes in an assortment of shapes from tubular to ball and tray. However, the wreath shape is a favorite primarily for its unique and festive design. Plus, its mesh construction lengthens the bird's stay at the feeder as they peck at it to remove the nuts. A quality peanut feeder should be both durable enough to withstand pecking and flexible enough to allow for the release of the peanuts, which this one does. The types of birds attracted to larger nuts include titmice, jays, nuthatches, chickadees, and woodpeckers.

Keep in mind, though that this type of feeder is designed to hold whole peanuts. This means you'll typically have an accumulated mess beneath your bird feeder as the avians remove the food from its shell.

Price at time of publish: $21.22

Kingsyard Adjustable Platform Bird Feeder with Dome Top

The platform (or tray) feeder is simplistic in design, but it offers one of the best views for observing your local avians. It's a great beginner bird feeder, as it is well-equipped to hold larger seeds like sunflowers and is easier to clean out. This one keeps seeds fresh by allowing any accumulated water to drain out and has a built-in dome top that protects seeds from rain.

One downside to a tray feeder is that it's more exposed to other wildlife. "If you have rodents around (including squirrels), they can clean out a platform feeder really quickly," says Lowry. There are some way around this, though. "With your platform feeder, I would try not to put out enough food that you're dumping some at the end of the day," says Lowry, as this can attract more critters. You also may want to consider bringing the platform feeder into your garage at night.

Price at time of publish: $29.99

PetFusion Tranquility Window Tray Bird Feeder

Window feeders give you the best view of the feathered friends inhabiting your yard, not to mention a buffet for the birds. They're often constructed of acrylic for a multi-dimensional view with a long feeder tray that can accommodate fruit, mealworms, suet, or seed and occupy four to six birds at a time (or sometimes, a pesky squirrel.) This one has three strong, weather resistant suction cups to keep feeder in place.

Price at time of publish: $36.19

Stokes Select Finch Screen Bird Feeder with Metal Roof

Also known as thistle feeders, the nyjer feeder attracts certain species like sparrows, doves, quails, finches, goldfinches, and chickadees who enjoy nyjer seed. Nyjer seeds possess a high fat and protein content, and look like small grains of wild rice. It uses small mesh or fine feeding ports that allow these petite seeds to be eaten without spillage. These feeders get the most visitors and are best hung from late fall to early summer, when natural seed supplies are scarce and these flying friends are seeking food.

Price at time of publish: $25.99

Droll Yankees New Generation Metal Peanut Bird Feeder

A tube-style feeder is a great option for beginners who want to welcome a variety of birds to their yard. This cylindrical wire feeder is designed to hold peanut halves, a great alternative to bird feeders that hold whole peanuts if you want to avoid food scraps. It also lacks any ports that the birds can stick their entire heads into, which minimizes the risk of spreading diseases like house finch disease. "This disease will then spread like wildfire through the feeder population," says Zickefoose.

Price at time of publish: $35.99

Heath Outdoor Products Clementine Oriole Feeder

Orioles—with their brilliant orange and black plumage—are attracted to three things: fruit, jelly, and nectar. For a specialized feeder that caters to their sweet taste, opt for one designed to display orange slices and jars of grape jelly. Many feeders come in an array of clever designs; this modern one is shaped like a halved citrus fruit and constructed of metal for optimal weather resistance. The removable glass jars can be filled with mealworms or nectar too.

Price at time of publish: $17.49