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Suet feeder #891517

Asked January 13, 2025, 11:04 AM EST

I put out two suet feeders in December the they were not getting used. I read that if they’re free swinging the birds won’t use them. I then nailed one to my garage and zip tied one to a bird feeding pole. After two weeks they are still not getting used. Any thoughts about why or how to increase bird traffic?

Redwood County Minnesota

Expert Response

Hi Matt, 

Great question, and thanks for reaching out. Here is a helpful article from the MN DNR with tips about feeding birds in the winter: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/birdfeeding/winter.html 

The "Feeder Layout " section at the bottom includes some great advice - make sure your feeders are near trees (when possible) and in a sheltered location from predators and cold winds. You may consider providing other sources of food nearby, such as large and small seeds (i.e., sunflower seeds and millet mixes) to entice the birds to visit. 

Another article from the UMN Extension that may be useful: https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/how-keep-birds-fed-and-happy-winter

I hope this helps! 

An Ask Extension Expert Replied January 13, 2025, 12:11 PM EST

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