In trials carried out by the British Trust for Ornithology, 12 different coloured feeders were used with a variety of food types to investigate feeder colour preferences in birds. For peanut feeders, red coloured feeders appeared the most popular, notably with birds such as siskins.

The answer is, there is no one color of bird feeder that will be most attractive to all birds. Some species have their own preferences, while others don’t. However some research suggests that blue and green feeders are preferable over red or yellow.

A sheltered southeastern exposure is best for hanging a bird feeder since birds like to feed in the sun and out of the wind. Birds also prefer to have a clear view over their feeding area so they can see any predators.

“And American Goldfinches seem to favor bright yellow feeders that not only match their own coloration but also the color of sunflowers whose seeds they relish.” Include a variety of orange and yellow flowers in your landscape to appeal to these two birds.

How To Stop Rats Eating Bird Food : 7 Tips To Try

1. Stop Feeding Birds For A Few Weeks.
2. Make Your Garden Less Rat Friendly.
3. Stop Using Incorrect Seed Or Feeders.
4. Avoid Seed Husks.
5. Move The Feeder Away From Branches.
6. Use A No Mess, Quality Seed Mix.

Choose No Waste Bird Food: A number of bird feeding options are available that reduce the amount of waste that’s dropped (thereby reducing the temptation for rodents). Look for hulled seeds, including sunflower hearts, shelled peanuts, and hulled millet. You can also try suet, nectar, thistle, or cracked corn.

One of the things that puts people off feeding birds is attracting vermin, in particular rats.

Feeding the birds in your garden doesn’t always have to result in feeding the rats too. Secondly, try using a bird feeder that minimises the amount of food that is dropped from feeding birds. Seeds, nuts and invertebrates are a firm favourite for rats, they will travel along hedgerows up to 600 metres to feed on these.