Feeder comparison

Window Feeder vs Hanging Feeder

Window feeder vs hanging feeder is a question of what you want from the birds: a window feeder puts chickadees and finches inches away, a hanging feeder in the yard draws more species and more of them ¹.

Everything below about feeder design, foods, placement and cleaning is drawn from Project FeederWatch ¹² and All About Birds ³.

Suction-cup window feeder with a bird inches from the glass — the window feeder vs hanging feeder trade-off — Photo: USFWS Headquarters, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Window feeder: small birds, close up

A window feeder is a small tray with suction cups, so its guests are the small birds: Black-capped Chickadees readily visit window feeders ⁴, and titmice, nuthatches and finches follow. Feeders with short perches accommodate small birds but exclude larger birds such as grackles and jays ¹. It holds little seed and needs cleaning like any tray, but it never has a squirrel problem.

Hanging feeder: more birds, more upkeep

A hanging tube or hopper in the yard, close to natural cover such as trees or shrubs ¹, reaches the birds that will not come to a window — cardinals on a hopper ledge, jays that prefer tray or hopper feeders on a post ⁵, doves under it. It needs a baffle, since squirrels jump to feeders less than ten feet from a tree or building ¹, and a spot about ten feet from strong branches.

Window feeder vs hanging feeder: glass safety applies to both

Because collisions kill perhaps a billion or more birds a year and older feeder-distance rules are no longer thought valid, the answer for either feeder is the same: make any nearby window bird-friendly with markings spaced no more than 2 inches apart, exterior screens or hanging cords ³.

Placement, squirrels and windows

Place feeders close to natural cover such as trees or shrubs, which offer birds refuge from predators, but not so close to strong branches that squirrels can jump across — a distance of about 10 feet is the usual guidance ¹. Windows are the other hazard: collisions kill perhaps a billion or more birds a year in North America, and older rules about safe feeder-to-window distances are no longer thought valid — if a window is near a feeder, treat the glass with markings spaced no more than 2 inches apart, external screens or cords, rather than worrying about the distance ³.

Squirrel baffles — barriers placed between squirrels and feeders — are usually the best defense. Squirrels can jump to feeders placed less than ten feet from a tree or building, so a pole-mounted feeder in the open with a baffle below it, or a tilting baffle at least 18 inches in diameter above a hanging feeder, is the arrangement that works ¹.

Keeping the feeder clean and the birds healthy

Clean seed and suet feeders regularly — every week or two, and more often during heavy use or wet weather — by scrubbing off debris and washing the parts thoroughly with warm water and dish soap ¹. Hummingbird feeders need cleaning far more often, every couple of days and ideally every time they are refilled; discard the solution and clean immediately at any sign of cloudy water or black mold ¹.

If a sick bird appears — House Finch eye disease shows as red, swollen, runny or crusty eyes, and avian pox as wart-like growths around the eye, bill, legs and feet — remove the feeders the bird is using for a couple of weeks and clean the feeders and the area thoroughly, so disease is not spread at the feeder ². Salmonellosis, caused by Salmonella bacteria, is a common cause of mortality in feeder birds and spreads the same way ².

Full guides for both feeders

Window Feeder →Tube Feeder →

More feeder guides

Platform Feeder →Hopper Feeder →Suet Feeder →Hummingbird Feeder →Peanut Feeder →Ground Feeder →Tube vs hopper feeder →Suet vs seed feeder →Black oil sunflower feeder →Squirrel proof bird feeder →No birds at the feeder? →

Frequently asked questions

Are window feeders safe for birds?

Yes, if the glass is treated — 2-inch-spaced markings, screens or cords. Distance from the window is no longer the recommended fix ³.

Which attracts more birds, a window or hanging feeder?

A hanging hopper in the yard: large hoppers attract most species, while a window feeder is limited to small birds ¹.

How often should I clean a bird feeder?

Every week or two for seed and suet feeders, more often in wet weather or heavy use; every couple of days for hummingbird feeders. Scrub, then wash with warm water and dish soap ¹.

How far should a feeder be from a window?

Distance rules are no longer considered valid; instead make any nearby window bird-safe with markings spaced no more than 2 inches apart, exterior screens, or hanging cords ³.