While doing a good job at keeping seed dry, tube feeders are also pretty good at discouraging squirrels. It is important to note that it is very easy for squirrels to chew away plastic around the ports so that it can access the seed inside the cylinder. It is a good idea to buy a tube feeder with metal reinforced feeding ports. The type of birds attracted to a tube feeder depend on the size of the perches under the feeding ports. The shorter perches attract only small birds such as finches since the large bird such as jays can't feed easily on the smaller perches.
Larger perches attract both small and large birds.
Thistle Feeder A thistle feeder is a specialized tube feeder. The ports on these feeders are extra-small to dispense thistle seeds. Also known as niger seed, thistle seed is a favorite of finches. Thistle socks are an alternative thistle seed dispenser. These thistle socks are made of cloth with small holes that are large enough for finches to pull the seed through.