Bird Feeders and Bird Watching

[GrindingAway]

I recently moved into my new house and most mornings I sit at my desk and look out my front window. I've never been a bird watcher but where I live there seem to be a lot of species of birds (at least, to my novice eye).

I'd like to buy a bird feeder to hang somewhere in my front yard but I have no idea what to look for and I'm seeking some help or information.

What cool/unique birds live in eastern Iowa?
What bird feeders have you seen/used that you like?
What types of birds are beneficial or worth attracting?
Any stories to share

TIA!

I don't think you'll get them to come to your feeder, but when I lived in Eastern Iowa Snipe was the common one to try to spot. Just ask around and I'm sure you will find someone to take you out to find one.

Seriously though when I lived just outside of Dubuque it was an amazing location for a bird feeder. Orioles, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Nuthatches, Flickers, woodpeckers, juncos. I'm not a big bird guy, but we had a pretty wide variety.

 

[Macloney]

I saw a Chicken Hawk in my backyard the other day:

 

[StClone]

What cool/unique birds live in eastern (Cedar Rapids) Iowa? If you mean at your feeder you can expect an occasional common oddity in season such as: Tufted Titmouse, Red-headed Woodpecker, Indigo Bunting, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Common Redpoll, Eastern Towhee, Fox Sparrow and White-crowned Sparrow (as well as other sparrow species).

Late winter/early spring is a lean time so a big thing to think about is high energy nutritionally dense foods with fruits for returning birds: make your own peanut butter, sunflower hearts mix along with fruit (https://www.thespruce.com/simple-bird-suet-recipe-386579 and https://www.audubon.org/news/top-10-foods-winter-bird-feeding ).

What types of birds are beneficial or worth attracting? Corn attracts undesirable House Sparrows and Squirrels. Milo, though especially great for small seed eaters, really attracts the former.

Figure on having two or three hummingbird feeders and keep them fresh. It may be very rewarding in August to October and very possible you could attract many Ruby-throated but also a vagrant Rufous or other western stray hummer. Putting out hummer feeders starting in late-April, really is a boon for hard pressed early birds.

I have been birding since the late 60's (with Master's Degree work) and there have been 427 species of birds recorded in Iowa!

 

[Turn2]

A simple small hanging bowl can be pretty versatile to test the waters. If you start with jelly in early May you could see orioles, robins, catbirds and house finches. Later on you could fill it with 4:1 water and sugar for hummingbirds. Or just keep it dry and fill it daily with peanuts &/or sunflower seeds.


If you start getting lots of birds and need to start providing more volume, a mix of millet and hulled sunflower seed is clean and attracts a wide variety. A simple tray feeder with a screened bottom satisfies most birds.



If things get too crowded you may need to provide multiple options. feeders without perches usually thwart the useless house sparrows.

 

[Sparkplug]

This one will keep squirrels away

 

[StClone]

Where I live we get occasional nighttime raids by Flying Squirrel and Gray Fox trying to get to highly placed feeders. The Gray Fox climbs like a cat and get into places you wouldn't expect.

 

[Remo Gaggi]

Make the investment to get "squirrel-proof" feeders. They're out there, and they do work for the most part. I use only oiled black sunflower seeds - thistle seeds get wasted a lot, and you don't want thistles growing in your yard!

You will likely get house finches, goldfinches, sparrows, cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches, and occasionally rose-breasted grosbeaks. If you get a nectar feeder, it is fairly easy to attract hummingbirds - they are very curious and social, and after a time will be comfortable being around when you are. With patience, you can probably get them to take nectar from your palm.

Just be ready for the mess.....lots and lots of seed shells. But to me, the enjoyment of watching the birds is worth it.

Agree 100% I spent more for the squirrel proof version, and I put out corn on the cob and critter food to keep them out. The chipmunks run out and clean up the seeds the birds knock onto the ground. Makes the dog go crazy with all of these furry varmints running around.

 

[Acylum]

I’ve had to take my feeders down a few times due to sharp shinned hawks wreaking havoc on the songbirds.

 

[nfrine]

What cool/unique birds live in eastern Iowa?
What bird feeders have you seen/used that you like?

Eastern Iowa? Lots of unusual Hoks in that area.
A bird feeder that looks like a tavern will attract those...

 

[StClone]

I’ve had to take my feeders down a few times due to sharp shinned hawks wreaking havoc on the songbirds.

Merlin and Cooper's Hawks too. Ah, Mother Nature has designs on your best intentions and think of it as feeding all birds even the avian-dino raptors. I know it's a difficult to watch and know.

 

[Acylum]

Merlin and Cooper's Hawks too. Ah, Mother Nature has designs on your best intentions and think of it as feeding all birds even the avian-dino raptors. I know it's a difficult to watch and know.

It may have been a Cooper’s now that you mention it. It’s both breathtakingly impressive and heartbreaking to see happen.

 

[ketchupnmustard]

Merlin and Cooper's Hawks too. Ah, Mother Nature has designs on your best intentions and think of it as feeding all birds even the avian-dino raptors. I know it's a difficult to watch and know.

Not really an "avian-dino raptor" but last summer I did observe a crow nab a songbird off of the feeder in my backyard. I thought it was pretty impressive on the crow's part.
Cool story, I know.

 

[JM4CY]

I saw a Chicken Hawk in my backyard the other day:

First immediate thought

 

[BoxsterCy]

View attachment 72666 This one will keep squirrels away

The big alfa raccoon hanging around my yard last summer was about this size.

 

[Cypwr]

For the first time we had Yellow-Headed blackbirds earlier this year. Only thing I have to add is when placing the feeder realize that bird seed will fall all over the place and germinate. We have ours over a landscaped river rock area and it grows out of the rock and I do not want to spray it with chemicals because it is near desirable plants. It is a real pain to always be picking these plants out of the rock.

 

[Sparkplug]

Get a hummingbird feeder for the summer. We can sit on the patio and they will buzz right above us

 

[Acylum]

Get a hummingbird feeder for the summer. We can sit on the patio and they will buzz right above you

https://www.beautyofbirds.com/hummingbirdsiowa.html

For most of my childhood I thought hummingbirds were insects.

 

[ianoconnor]

The Squirrel Buster brand is legit. I think I got mine on Amazon. Not cheap but they are truly squirrel proof. It's pretty funny watching the squirrels try to defeat it.

We also have a suet feeder that attracts a ton of woodpeckers. We've seen (& heard) a lot of cat birds this year. I don't remember this much in the past.

 

[StClone]

https://www.beautyofbirds.com/hummingbirdsiowa.html

For most of my childhood I thought hummingbirds were insects.

Sphinx Moths certainly can fool you in the reverse.

 

[mkadl]

One Cedar fence board made this blue bird house.