If your bird feeder suddenly seems quieter than usual, don’t worry, you probably haven’t done anything wrong. This is one of the most common questions we hear at the Los Gatos Birdwatcher.
(Photo: White-breasted Nuthatch at a Squirrel Buster Classic feeder outside a kitchen window in Willow Glen)
Is Your Bird Seed Fresh?
Fresh bird seed makes a tremendous difference. Birds can tell when seed is stale. Birds often avoid old seed altogether. Here at the Los Gatos Birdwatcher, we receive truckloads of fresh bird seed every week so our inventory is constantly being replenished. We monitor our seed supply to make sure you’re taking home fresh, high-quality seed—not bags that have been sitting on a warehouse shelf for months.
Many hardware and big-box stores can’t turn their bird seed over as quickly. Their mixes may also contain fillers like milo, whole corn kernels, and other seeds that our South Bay backyard birds leave behind. Choosing high-quality seed means more birds at your feeder and less seed on the ground.
Do Birds Feel Safe?
Birds don’t like to eat out in the open where they feel exposed to predators. Try hanging your feeder near a tree or dense shrubs, giving birds a nearby place to perch and quickly escape if a hawk or neighborhood cat appears. A feeder with a little natural cover nearby is often much busier than one standing alone in the middle of a lawn.
Don’t Forget Water
Fresh water can be just as important as food. A clean bird bath or shallow water feature nearby gives birds a place to drink and bathe. In our dry California summers, water can be one of the best ways to encourage birds to visit regularly.
Remember the Change of Seasons
Bird activity changes throughout the year. Here in the South Bay, late summer can be one of the quieter times at backyard feeders. Breeding season has ended, many adult birds are molting and some species are getting ready for their fall migration. At the same time, insects, berries, and other natural foods are plentiful, so birds may spend more time foraging in the landscape and less time visiting feeders. That’s perfectly normal.
Don’t take your feeder down.
Keep offering clean water and some fresh seed, and you’ll likely notice activity increase again as the weather gets cooler. Sometimes the best thing you can do is wait. Birds are creatures of habit, and it can take days for them to discover a new feeder or return after a change in the yard. Continue offering fresh seed, keep your feeder clean, and provide a safe, welcoming habitat.
The three essentials are…fresh seed, fresh water, and a safe place to feed.
That’s the recipe that’s been bringing backyard birdwatchers to the Los Gatos Birdwatcher for more than 30 years. Almost every week someone tells us, ‘I switched to fresh seed and the birds came back within a day or two.’ While every yard is different, it’s amazing how often fresh seed makes a difference.
What Birds Are You Hoping to Attract?
Not all birds eat the same foods, so choosing the right seed can make all the difference.
Here are some seed recommendations:
Chickadees and House Finches love sunflower chips. Almost every bird does. Our most popular songbird blend Pure Patio Mix combines sunflower chips, peanut chips, and white proso millet—everything birds love with virtually no seed waste left behind.
American and Lesser Goldfinches are fond of our Wild Finch Blend made with finely chipped sunflower and thistle (nyjer) seed.
Mourning Doves & California Quail prefer feeding on the ground. Simply scatter a handful of our Dove & Quail Mix made with fresh millet and other favorite grains of ground birds.
Hummingbirds need fresh nectar made with one part white sugar to four parts water (for example, ¼ cup C&H® Sugar to 1 cup water). No red dye please.
Woodpeckers enjoy high-energy foods like suet and seed cylinders. We recommend our Woodpecker Feast Cylinder along with our Bugs, Nuts & Fruit Suet Cakes from Mr. Bird—favorites of Acorn Woodpeckers, Nuttall’s Woodpeckers, and other local species.
Not sure which seed is right for your backyard? Stop by the Los Gatos Birdwatcher and tell us which birds you’re seeing—or hoping to attract. After more than 30 years of helping Bay Area birdwatchers, we’d be happy to recommend the best seed, feeders, and birdwatching setup for your yard.