You can buy the best feeder and the best seed and still see almost nothing if the feeder is in the wrong place. Position matters as much as what is in it.

Near cover, but not too near

Birds want an escape route. A feeder two to three metres from a shrub or tree is ideal: close enough that birds can dive for safety, far enough that a cat cannot lurk in the branches and pounce. A feeder marooned in the middle of an open lawn often stays empty because birds feel exposed.

Think about windows

Window collisions kill a startling number of birds. The counter-intuitive fix is distance: place feeders either very close to the glass (under about half a metre, so birds cannot build up fatal speed) or well away from it (several metres). The dangerous zone is the middle distance, where a startled bird hits the window at full flight.

Keep it away from ambush points

Avoid placing feeders right next to fences, low walls, or dense ground cover where a cat can hide. A little open ground around the base lets birds see danger coming.

Make it easy for you

A feeder you can see from a window you use often will be refilled more reliably — and refilling reliably is what keeps birds coming. Choose a spot that is sheltered from the strongest wind and rain, and reachable without a trek across a muddy garden in winter.

Give it time

After moving or hanging a feeder, allow a week or two before judging it. Birds are cautious of anything new, but once a few brave individuals find it, the rest follow quickly.