Bird feeding tables in November: setup and stocking

TL;DR

November is the ideal month to set up bird feeding tables. Place them in sight (10+ metres from shrubs), use clean food (no nuts with mould), and refill daily in the morning. Bird food attracts predators so you need good shelter nearby. Start feeding stations now for the worst food shortage in January/February.

Why November bird feeding begins

Birds still have plenty of natural food in October: seeds in dead flowers, insects under bark, rowan and hawthorn berries. November changes this. Suddenly almost everything is gone. Climate change makes this worse: many bird food plants flower earlier in autumn now, so food supply stops sooner.

If you feed birds regularly, they become accustomed to it. You must have this setup in November, not mid-December. Birds dependent on your feeder die in January if you suddenly stop.

Which birds come to feeders?

For Netherlands/Belgium in winter:

• Tits (great and blue): Songbirds, arrive in masses. Love sunflower seeds and nuts.
• Thrushes: Especially in hard frost. Love apples, raisins, berries.
• Dunnocks: Small, brown, nervous. Seeds and breadcrumbs.
• Robins: Territorial, solitary. Insects and breadcrumbs.
• Finches (goldfinch, siskin): Hyperactive, hang like acrobats. Nyger and thistle seeds.
• Starlings: In flocks, messy. Almost everything.
• Woodpeckers: Rare, climbing. Nuts, insect feeders.

Not all birds eat from feeders. Many ground-eaters (like thrushes) prefer eating from ground.

Types of bird feeders

Covered bird feeder box

This is the best type. The roof keeps rain and snow away, birds see predators coming, and food stays dry. Keep at least 30 cm of the sides open (not closed).

Advantages:

• Food stays dry
• Birds can see sides
• Easy to clean

Disadvantages:

• More birds means more mess
• Pigeons can sometimes squeeze in

Small wooden feeder house

A small wooden house like you see in toy shops. Open front. Works fine for small birds, but larger birds (pigeons, starlings) do not fit.

Open feeder table (no roof)

Less ideal. Food gets wet, freezes in winter. Good for bird species that do not like roofs, but more work to keep clean.

Hanging feeders

For nuts, seeds, fat balls. Birds hang on them like acrobats. Perfect for tits, less for larger species.

Ground feeding

Many birds prefer eating from ground: thrushes, starlings, pigeons. Place food on a clean earth patch (not grass - birds get nervous in tall grass). Ensure space to nearby shrubs for escape routes.

What you can feed (and what not)

Good food:

• Sunflower seeds: The absolute best. Birds love them, nutritional value supreme. Expensive but worth it.
• Nuts (hazelnut, chestnut, peanut): Much energy. Ensure they are mould-free (no grey powder).
• Small seeds (nyger, thistle): Finches adore this. Cheap.
• Fat balls/suet balls: For winter. Energy bomb. Check it is proper animal fat, not plastic.
• Apple and raisins: For thrushes and robins, especially in frost periods.
• Bread and breadcrumbs: Actually not ideal (fills birds without nutrition), but birds love it. Better dry bread than fresh.

Do not feed:

• Nuts in shell: Birds cannot crack them. Waste.
• Salted food: Damages bird kidneys. Never salted feed.
• Avocado and chocolate: Toxic.
• Hard nuts (macadamia): Birds cannot crack.
• Grass or hay: Useless.
• Mouldy food: This is the worst. A mouldy fat ball can kill birds.

Placement

Safety

Do NOT place your feeder close to shrubs. Cats and predators hide there. Place at least 2 metres away.

BUT: make sure dense shrubs are 5-10 metres away. Birds want quick escape to cover if a raptor passes.

This is the balance: enough distance from hidden hunters, but easy flight to shrubs.

Visibility

Choose a spot where your feeder is visible from multiple windows. This is not only nice for you, but also better for birds. They see the table from distance. Do not place in shade.

Height

Hang your feeder 1.5 to 2 metres high. Too low (predators), too high (birds cannot land well).

Daily maintenance

Filling

At least every morning. Birds eat most in early morning and late afternoon. So fill early and perhaps again around 16:00 hours.

In harsh weather (frost, snow) birds have more hunger, so may need 2-3 times per day.

Cleaning

Once a week clean feeder. Remove old food, wipe away bird droppings, clean floor. This prevents disease (especially avian flu and bacterial infections).

Birds from different regions bring diseases - if you keep feeders clean, fewer birds die from illness.

Water

Even more important than food. Place a bowl of water beside, especially in frost. Birds drink a lot, ice is deadly.

Frequently asked questions

Does bird feeding make birds lazy?

No. Wild birds still get 80% of their food from nature. Feeders are supplementation, not replacement. Birds that become dependent usually already had difficulties.

Does feeding birds really help them through winter?

Yes. Research shows that bird feeding significantly lowers mortality rates in winter. In harsh weather (frost over 1 week, deep snow), birds really need feeders.

My neighbour does not feed birds - does that draw them away?

Not necessarily. Birds have territories, some use multiple feeders on the street. Good food source in your garden suffices.

Can I leave feeders up in May/June?

Better not. Summer you do not need feeders and they can grow mould. Clean up in May, set up again in October.

Must I buy bird food or can I just use bread?

Bird food is much better. Bread fills birds without nutrition, bird food mixes have correct protein/fat ratio. Bread is cheaper but not healthier.

Step-by-step

Step 1: Choose feeder location

Find a spot 2+ metres from shrubs, visible from window, and 1.5-2m high. No full shade.

Step 2: Set up feeder

Hang or place your table/house in November, before birds become accustomed in December.

Step 3: Buy food in

Sunflower seeds, nuts (mould-free), small seeds, fat balls. Check expiry dates.

Step 4: Fill first feeding

By early November your first food should be in. Birds see it and start to become accustomed.

Step 5: Daily maintenance

Fill every morning. Clean weekly. Water daily (in frost).

Step 6: Keep going until April

Once started, do not stop until April. Abruptly stopping can kill birds that became dependent.

Predators

Bird feeding also attracts cats, hawks (buzzard), sparrowhawk, owl. This is bird feeding in natural cycles. Many people get nervous about a sparrowhawk or cat, but this is normal food chain.

What you CAN do to deter predators:

• Place feeder close to a window. Birds see intruders fast.
• Do not place feeder right along hedges where cats hide.
• Open feeder (not closed cage). Birds must be able to escape.

Discover your own garden design

At [gardenworld.app](https://gardenworld.app) you can upload your front yard and see where bird feeders fit realistically. Plan your bird feeding areas now, before November closes.