Feeders & Seed
Best Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeders: 5 That Actually Work
The best squirrel-proof bird feeders, compared by how they actually stop squirrels, plus honest picks for cardinals, small birds, and tight budgets.
Jul 9, 2026
Articles by Owen Marsh
18 pieces
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Backyard Species GuidesWhat Do Orioles Eat? Fruit, Nectar, and Insects
What do orioles eat? Insects, fruit, and nectar, not seeds. The full oriole diet by season and species, plus the feeder foods that bring them in.
Jul 8, 2026
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Backyard Species GuidesWhat Do Crows Eat? The Omnivore Diet, Explained
What do crows eat? Almost anything: seeds, nuts, insects, small animals, eggs, carrion, and scraps. Plus what to feed crows in your yard and what to avoid.
Jun 24, 2026
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Backyard Species GuidesWhat Do Bluebirds Eat? Diet by Season and Feeder Foods
What do bluebirds eat? Mostly insects in summer, fruit and berries in winter, and mealworms at feeders, not seed. The full bluebird diet by species and season.
Jun 18, 2026
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Backyard Species GuidesWhat Do Wrens Eat? Diet, Insects, and Feeder Foods
What do wrens eat? Mostly insects and spiders, not birdseed. The real wren diet, why only Carolina Wrens visit feeders, and the best foods to attract them.
Jun 17, 2026
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Backyard Species GuidesWhat Do Blue Jays Eat? Diet, Acorns, and Feeder Foods
What do blue jays eat? About 75% nuts, acorns, seeds, and fruit, plus insects. The full blue jay diet, the acorn-caching secret, and the best feeder foods.
Jun 6, 2026
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Backyard Species GuidesWhat Do Cardinals Eat? A Seasonal Diet Guide
What do cardinals eat? Mainly seeds and fruit, plus insects, and the foods that keep them red. Here is the full cardinal diet and what to feed them.
Jun 4, 2026
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HummingbirdsWhat Do Hummingbirds Eat? A Complete Backyard Guide
Hummingbirds eat far more than nectar: insects and spiders make up most of their diet. Here is the full picture, backed by science, and how to feed them well.
Jun 2, 2026
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HummingbirdsHummingbird Nests: Where They Are, What They Look Like, When
What a hummingbird nest looks like (the size of half a walnut), where hummingbirds nest, when they raise young, and why you almost never find one.
May 28, 2026
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Backyard Species GuidesWhat Do Woodpeckers Eat? A Backyard Guide to Diet and Feeders
What woodpeckers eat in the wild and at backyard feeders: insects, suet, peanuts, sunflower, plus a species-by-species breakdown for 7 backyard woodpeckers.
May 26, 2026
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Attracting BirdsHow Long Do Birds Live? Lifespans of 12 Backyard Species
How long do birds live? Average wild lifespans for cardinals, chickadees, robins, blue jays, and 8 more backyard species, plus the threats that cut lives short.
May 24, 2026
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Feeders & SeedBird Feeder for Blue Jays: 5 Styles That Work (and 3 to Skip)
Bird feeder for blue jays: 5 styles that work, what to fill them with, where to place them, and how to keep jays from pushing smaller birds off other feeders.
May 21, 2026
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HummingbirdsHummingbird Migration: The 2026 Backyard Guide to Timing and Routes
Hummingbird migration timing by state, the 4 flyway routes, the 7 backyard species, fall departure schedule, and the trackers that actually work.
May 18, 2026
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Backyard Species GuidesHow to Attract Bluebirds: A Backyard Species Guide
How to attract bluebirds: nest box (1.5-inch hole, no front perch), mealworms, open habitat with low perches, native berry shrubs. Three species by region.
May 3, 2026
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Backyard Species GuidesHow to Attract Cardinals: A Backyard Species Guide
How to attract cardinals: black-oil sunflower and safflower seed, wide-perch platform or hopper feeder, 4 to 5 feet up near dense shrubs. Year-round residents.
Apr 30, 2026
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HummingbirdsHow to Attract Hummingbirds to a Feeder: 7-Day Plan
How to attract hummingbirds to a hummingbird feeder: red feeder, fresh 4:1 nectar, red flowers nearby. Expect 2 to 3 weeks for the first bird.
Apr 24, 2026
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HummingbirdsHow to Keep Ants and Bees Out of Hummingbird Feeders
How to keep ants out of hummingbird feeder and bees away from it: ants walk, bees fly, the fixes differ. Plus what to skip (Vaseline kills hummingbirds).
Apr 21, 2026
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HummingbirdsWhen to Put Out Hummingbird Feeders: State-by-State Guide
When to put out hummingbird feeders, state by state. Spring migration windows for every U.S. region, with the western species most guides skip.
Apr 18, 2026