Keep Backyard Birds Safe By Never Placing Feeders Here, According to Experts

If you want to draw a crowd of feathered friends to your backyard bird feeders, follow the same rule you would when choosing any other piece of real estate: Location, location, location. The best spot for a bird feeder isn't just about whether you get a good view of its visitors—a safe area minimizes the risk of harm to your feathered visitors.

Most birds are looking for a feeder in an area that's sheltered, but not hidden; easy to get to, but not exposed; and away from predators like cats. "Cats are the number one threat to birds," says Denys Hemen of the Audubon Center at Debs Park. He notes that it is estimated that 2.4 billion birds are killed by cats each year in the United States. If you (or your neighbors) let house cats roam free, avoid hanging a feeder somewhere that makes birds an easy target for cats.

But perhaps the most important factor to consider when choosing a spot for your bird feeder is how far away to put it from your home to avoid window collisions. There is a specific distance that is especially dangerous for window strikes. To help you determine a safe distance, we consulted with wildlife experts who shared their tips for selecting the ideal spot for your bird feeders.

The Safest Distance From Your Home

Placing a feeder at the wrong distance from your house can increase the risk of birds flying into your windows as they arrive or depart from the feeder. "The most important impact is that bad feeder placement can endanger birds through window strikes," says Braelei Hardt, assistant naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation. "Window collisions kill hundreds of millions of birds in North America each year—up to nearly 1 billion in the U.S. Feeder placement can mitigate this risk by being either very close to or very far from the window."

The 3-30 Rule

According to Hardt (and other bird conservation experts), there are two sweet spots for reducing accidental collisions. She notes that distances closer than 3 feet make it hard for birds to gather enough flying speed for a window collision, while distances of 30 feet or more give them space to come and go without getting too close to the windows in the first place. "A feeder positioned in the interim is in a danger zone, as birds might flush from the feeder and hit a wall at full speed," she says.

Other Unfavorable Spots for a Bird Feeder

Aside from keeping feeders closer than 3 feet and farther than 30 from your home, also avoid placing your bird feeder in these areas.

Near Driveways and Garages

Placing a bird feeder next to your driveway or near your garage is not ideal, says Hardt. The movements and sounds of slamming doors, idling engines, and garage-door openings are likely to make them skittish. "Birds feel more comfortable feeding in areas away from loud, sudden disturbances," she says. "There’s also the practical downside of bird droppings on vehicles if a feeder is over a driveway. If the driveway area is the only option, try to position the feeder as far from where cars pass as possible and in sight of some cover."

High-Traffic Porches and Patios

Many homeowners place bird feeders near their porches and patios for their own personal convenience. "Mounting a feeder on your deck or just outside the porch has the big advantage of easy viewing and access," says Hardt. "You can enjoy birds up close through the window, and refilling and cleaning the feeder is convenient." If your outdoor space is relatively quiet—and not your main entrance—then the birds might settle in; if it’s a high-traffic area, though, they may be too nervous to visit.

By Kids' Play Areas

While exposing kids to the backyard flora and fauna native to your neighborhood is a worthy goal, setting up a bird feeder next to your swing set, tree house, or trampoline isn’t the best approach. "If kids frequently play in these areas, it will likely see fewer bird visitors," says Hardt. "Sudden motion and yelling or laughter can startle feeding birds. It’s better to situate feeders in a quieter part of the yard rather than right by places frequented by kids."

Don't Miss

8 Ways to Attract More Birds to Your Yard, According to Experts

How to Keep Squirrels and Other Animals From Raiding Your Bird Feeders

Beneficial Places for a Bird Feeder

As long as they are not within the 3-30 range, these bird feeder placements keep birds safe and offer the best views.

Within the Landscape

Help your local birds feel safe and comfortable by placing feeders among your other landscape elements. "Shrubs, trees, and garden plantings around a feeder provide birds with natural cover and perches, helping them feel secure between feeding bouts," says Hardt. "A yard with diverse plant heights and native vegetation tends to attract more birds than a wide-open lawn, so placing a feeder near foliage can increase visitors." One caution: "Don’t hide the feeder inside dense bushes, as that can increase the threat from predators like cats," says Hardt.

Under a Tree

A bird feeder suspended from the branches of a lush, low-growing tree will also attract birds looking for a quiet spot to snack. "Hanging a feeder under a tree can work well since birds naturally congregate in trees," says Hardt. "The overhead branches make birds feel safer from aerial predators and can buffer wind or harsh sun on the feeder; trees also provide convenient perches for cracking seeds."

Attached to the House

Securing a bird feeder to the side of your house has several benefits: If you choose a spot near (or on) a window, you’ll have a front-row seat to the birds who stop by, while the proximity to the glass keeps the birds on a less dangerous path. "A feeder affixed on a window, or within 2 to 3 feet of it, virtually eliminates serious window collisions," says Hardt. "Birds cannot gain speed right after leaving the feeder, so even if they flutter into the window, it’s usually harmless."

On a Standalone Pole

A freestanding pole opens up your options for bird feeder placement, letting you select a spot with prime visibility and limited access for squirrels. "This can be advantageous for deterring feeder pests, especially when using a pole with a squirrel baffle and placing it away from trees or fences," says Hardt. "If squirrels are a concern, giving a 10- to 15-foot gap between a feeder and any tree limb, fence, or railing will help discourage them from jumping onto the feeder. The key is to ensure there is some cover not too far off: Birds are unlikely to venture to a feeder that’s isolated in the middle of a barren lawn with zero shelter around."

Where You Can See and Access It

The feeder placement you choose should be readily accessible for cleaning to keep your bird populations healthy, says Doug Hitchcox, staff naturalist with Maine Audubon. "It is more responsibility than most people seem to understand, and regular maintenance, especially cleaning the feeders, is important to keep birds healthy and limit potential disease spreading," he says. "Finding the balance of where the feeders can be easily seen and where they'll be safest for the birds can be tricky sometimes. I would always encourage people to put the birds' safety first, so making sure it has some cover for safety, like nearby trees or bushes that a bird can dive into, and not too close to glass doors or windows that they might hit."

Considerations for Specific Birds

Birds have different feeding preferences, depending on the type. Keep these considerations in mind when feeding ground feeders, shrub and mid-height feeders, suet feeders, and hummingbirds.

Ground Feeders

Birds who snack on seeds and food on the ground are likely to find your feeder wherever it is. “Often, ground-feeding birds will arrive to clean up spilled seed from any hanging feeder," says Hardt. "You can also simply sprinkle seed on a designated patch of ground. If you scatter seed, put out only as much as they can eat in a day to avoid the excess getting moldy or attracting pests."

Shrub and Mid-Height Feeders

Offer a variety of feeder options at eye-level—or higher—to suit shrub and mid-height feeders, says Hardt; these birds will eat from hopper feeders, tube feeders, or platform feeders. "Having multiple feeder heights also helps,” she says. "You can hang it from a hook or tree branch roughly 4 to 6 feet high, ideally adjacent to foliage."

Suet Feeders

Attract woodpeckers and their avian cousins with suet feeders suspended at least 5 feet high; this distance helps keep the food away from other animals (including your pets). And while homeowners who live in areas also inhabited by bears should take any type of feeder down at night, the fatty blocks of suet are especially enticing. "Bears can and will destroy feeders (and possibly more) attempting to get into them," says Hardt.

Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds prefer their feeders shaded and sheltered, says Hardt. "Unlike many other birds, human activity doesn’t deter hummingbirds much once they know the feeder is there," she says. "Hanging a hummingbird feeder under an eave or tree branch where it gets partial shade helps keep the sugar nectar from spoiling too fast in summer heat."