Make sure the box that the tube feeder comes in designates whether it is a thistle or sunflower tube feeder. You may decide to hang both in your yard. By putting up a sunflower and thistle feeder, you will attract a larger variety of birds. Sunflower tube feeders will attract chickadees, nuthatches, goldfinches, and grosbeaks while a thistle tube feeder will appeal to pine siskins, goldfinches, redpolls, and maybe an occasional indigo bunting. The hopper feeder is a box-shaped feeder that is mounted on a pole and placed into the ground.
Seed comes out of the bottom onto a ledge as it is eaten by the birds.
Since this type of feeder is usually large, you won't have to fill it as often as a tube feeder. The hopper feeder allows larger birds such as blue jays, grosbeaks, and woodpeckers to perch and feed. Unfortunately, grackles also find it easy. By adding a pole mounted hopper feeder to your yard, you will increase the opportunity for larger birds to visit and feed. Platform Feeder Tray feeders are the most simple of all bird feeders.