Will garden birds stop using my feeder if my neighbour has just put up a new feeder?

Hi all,

This may sound silly and a bit paranoid, but we put our bird feeder up about a month ago now. Yesterday, my neighbour put one up and I have become worried the birds will stop coming to mine.

This may sound really petty but I love seeing them and they really help my anxiety. 

Thank you,

Katie x

  • Hi Kaie, I am sure that the birds will investigate the new feeders next door to see what is on offer, but also I am sure that they will keep coming to yours. If you have bird seed out you could offer something different, sunflower hearts, they love them and Niger seed. You will get finches and Siskins taking them, maybe try making some home made pastry. Very simple to make, shops own brand flour and fat, mix half the fat to flour, as you would for human pastry. Mix into that seeds, crushed nuts (especially just now when there are young birds about) sunflower hearts, grated cheese, surt pieces, dried fruit (sultanas, raisins). Mix that with a small drop of water, enough to to bind it and keep in the fridge for a few hours. You can then pull of pieces and put them into a peanut type feeder, or empty coconut shell (if you have one) or make your own out of an old yoghurt pot and string. You could also pull of small pieces and squeeze them round the tree branches, or in the joints on branches. They love this, but beware once the find it, they will be back. That may keep them in your garden!

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

  • Not silly at all, I felt a bit like that when my neighbour started feeding 'my hedgehogs' but they divide ttheir time between the two places ( & no doubt others) but basically I'm just pleased that they have access to a greater food supply!

     

     2013 photos & vids here

    eff37 on Flickr

  • Something else you could offer is live mealworms, a really useful food for the nesting birds to take back to their chicks especially as caterpillars may be in short supply ... loved by Robins, Blackbirds & Tit family, just beware greedy Starlings don't pinch them all!

     

     2013 photos & vids here

    eff37 on Flickr

  • Ah thank you so much! The reassurance has eased my jealousy haha! We put mealworms in small bird friendly feeders and they blackbirds and tits take them away for young. This has helped greatly! BlushThumbsup
  • Thank you so much! It does feel very much like they are 'yours' but wherever there is food I suppose they will feed from!