Feeder Types
Window feeders: birds at arm's length
The feeder for people with no yard — and, counter-intuitively, the safest place on the house to put one.
By Scooter M. · Published · Last updated
A window feeder suction-cups directly to the glass and holds a small amount of seed. Because it sits within a few feet of the window, a startled bird cannot build up enough speed for a collision to be fatal — the American Bird Conservancy's guidance favors feeders either very close to glass or more than thirty feet away.
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Quick picks
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ano photo Aspects Window Cafe Window Feeder (ASP155) 1.5 lb, three suction cups, and the body slides out so you refill from inside. | Best window feeder | |
| 2 | DYno photo Droll Yankees Onyx Clever Clean 12" Tube Feeder If a rail bracket is an option, a 1 lb tube holds more and cleans better. | Best small alternative | |
| 3 | Lno photo Lyric Delite No Waste Mix Shell-free, so there are no hulls piling on the sill. | Best seed for a window |
Rows link to the full write-up further down this page. The price button goes to Amazon.
Window feeders solve two problems at once: they work when you have no yard, no ground and no permission to drill, and they put birds close enough that you can see the individual feathers. For anyone in an apartment they are often the only option, and they are a better one than their reputation suggests.
The safety question, answered properly
People reasonably worry that a feeder on the glass causes collisions. The published guidance points the other way. The American Bird Conservancy states that more than a billion birds die from collisions with glass every year in the United States, and the standard placement advice is that feeders belong either very close to a window or well away from it.
The mechanism is speed. A bird startled off a feeder mounted on the glass has inches, not yards, to accelerate — an impact at that distance is usually survivable. A feeder fifteen feet out gives it a runway. So a window feeder is not the risky option; the middle distance is. More in keeping birds safe.
What to look for
- Three suction cups on a bracket, not one. Aspects publishes a triple-cup roof bracket on the Window Cafe.
- A body that slides out. Refilling a fixed window feeder means opening the window and reaching around it, which in February you will simply stop doing.
- A roof with an overhang. Small feeders soak quickly; a pitched roof keeps the tray usable.
- Small capacity, and be glad of it. 1.5 lb refilled weekly keeps seed fresh in a feeder that sits against warm glass.
Getting birds to use it
Window feeders take longer to be found than yard feeders, particularly above the ground floor. What helps:
- Put something living near it — a planter or a hanging basket gives birds a staging post.
- Use black oil sunflower, which has the widest appeal of any single seed.
- Keep the seed level visible from outside for the first few weeks.
- Be patient. A month is not unusual on a high floor.
More in how to attract birds to a new feeder.
The cold-weather failure
Suction cups fail in a hard freeze, and they lose grip as the glass and the cup collect grime. Clean both with warm soapy water, dry them, and press the cup firmly onto glass that is not freezing. Re-seat them at the start of every cold season. This is the main maintenance job a window feeder has.
Squirrels and window feeders
More often than people expect. Squirrels use sills, brick, downpipes and neighboring ledges as readily as branches, and there is no way to baffle a window. If they find yours, the only levers are moving it to a smoother stretch of wall or accepting the visits. There is no window equivalent of a pole baffle.
Cleaning
Same schedule as everything else — every week or two, more often in wet weather. Window feeders make this easy, because the feeder is right there and the body slides out. That convenience is worth more than the small capacity costs you. Method here.
The picks in full
#1 · Best window feeder
Aspects Window Cafe Window Feeder (ASP155)
Aspects · Apartments, offices, and watching birds from two feet away
A hopper-style window feeder on three suction cups whose body slides out for filling, so you are not wrestling a full feeder through an open window.
Published specifications
- Capacity
- 1.5 lb (about 3/4 quart)
- Dimensions
- 9.5" L x 4" W x 6.5" H
- Mounting
- Three suction cups on a roof bracket
- Warranty
- Lifetime guarantee (manufacturer)
What it does well
- The slide-out body means refilling does not mean removing the feeder
- Mounted flush to the glass, it sits in the safest zone for window collisions
- The only feeder type that works for a renter with no yard
What it does not
- Suction cups fail in a hard freeze and need cleaning and re-seating
- Squirrels reach window feeders more often than people expect
Specifications above come from the manufacturer's own published listing: Aspects Window Cafe published specifications.
#2 · Best small alternative
Droll Yankees Onyx Clever Clean 12" Tube Feeder
Droll Yankees · Balconies, small windows and tight spaces
A one-pound, two-port version of the same tube, small enough for a balcony rail and cheap enough to be a second feeder.
Published specifications
- Seed capacity
- 1 lb
- Height
- 12"
- Feeding ports
- 2
What it does well
- Refills often, so seed never sits long enough to spoil
- Light enough for a rail bracket or a small hook
What it does not
- Two ports means birds queue
- No squirrel mechanism
Specifications above come from the manufacturer's own published listing: Droll Yankees Onyx Clever Clean 12in published specifications.
#3 · Best seed for a window
Lyric Delite No Waste Mix
Lyric · The genuinely filler-free no-mess bag
Shelled peanuts, sunflower kernels, pecans, pistachios and pumpkin seed: an expensive bag with no corn, no millet and nothing that ends up on the ground.
Published specifications
- Ingredients
- Shelled peanuts, sunflower kernels, pecans, pistachios, shelled pumpkin seed
- Crude protein
- 20% min
- Crude fat
- 35% min
- Crude fiber
- 10% max
- Moisture
- 12% max
What it does well
- No corn, no millet, no milo — nothing in the bag is filler
- Shell-free seed will not sprout under the feeder
- The highest fat content of any mix here, which matters in cold weather
What it does not
- Expensive per pound, though far less of it is wasted
- Nut-heavy mixes are exactly what squirrels want most
Specifications above come from the manufacturer's own published listing: Lyric Delite published ingredients and analysis.
Common questions
How do I attract birds to a feeder on a window?
Use black oil sunflower, put a plant near the window as a staging post, and be patient — window feeders take longer to be found, especially on upper floors.
Are window bird feeders safe for birds?
Mounted on the glass, they are the safest placement available: a startled bird has no distance in which to build up speed. The dangerous distance is the middle range.
Do window feeders fall off?
Suction cups fail in cold weather and when dirty. Buy a three-cup model, and clean and re-seat the cups each season.
Will squirrels get to a window feeder?
Often, yes — they use sills, brickwork and downpipes. There is no way to baffle a window, so a weight-closing feeder elsewhere may be the better answer if it becomes a problem.