Although these birds naturally feed at ground level, they will readily accept seed placed on a platform feeder that has been mounted on a post one to two feet above the ground. Thistle lures goldfinches, house finches, purple finches, and pine siskins to the feeder. Suet is a favorite of woodpeckers, nuthatches, wrens, chickadees, bluejays, brown creepers, eastern bluebirds, kinglets, pine siskins, titmice, and cardinals. Suet cakes should be placed in a hanging suet feeder, usually a small cage with vinyl-coated wire. Peanuts and peanut butter are popular foods for winter birds.
Whole peanuts attract bluejays, nuthatches, and woodpeckers.
Peanut kernels lure chickadees, bluejays, nuthatches, and titmice. Peanut hearts are relished by juncos. Almost all of these birds will also feast on peanut butter. Soak the fruit in warm water, cut it into small pieces, and spread it on a screen platform feeder. In Your Absence When natural seed sources are depleted, a backyard bird feeder can help birds survive the winter while increasing your opportunities for birdwatching.