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Where should it be?
You don't have to have a garden to feed birds - a feeding tray can attract birds to a window sill on a block of flats. Consider the following as you decide where to site your bird table.
Quiet - if possible, your bird table should be placed where the birds will not be disturbed regularly by human traffic - that is, the back garden rather than the front, and by a 'quiet' window if you have the choice. Don't, however, place it so far from the house that you can't see it - the fun of feeding birds is being able to watch them!
In the open and safe - with a good all round view so that the birds can see they are safe from predators while they feed. The table should be safely away from cat ambush sites. These include fences and trees from which cats can leap and dense bushes in which they can hide.
Sheltered - in a position where it gets neither too much sun nor too much cold wind.
With a lookout point - a small bush about two metres from the table gives the birds somewhere safe to perch while they look to see if it is safe to feed, to 'queue up' for a place on the table, and to dash to if disturbed. Bramble clippings placed around the bush will prevent cats lurking.
Mounted - a raised bird table has the advantage of being visible from the comfort of a chair. It can be placed on top of a post, hung from a branch or a bracket or even from the washing line. Some birds, however, such as blackbirds, other thrushes and chaffinches, prefer to feed on the ground, so consider providing more than one type of feeding station.
Last modified: 23 August 2006