This Gardman seed feeder is the perfect entry-level model for anyone looking to draw songbirds to their garden. The RSPB recommends placing this feeder roughly two metres from any jumping platform so squirrels can’t reach it. Birds can be as picky as humans when it comes to food, so if you can’t decide which type to get, this ingenious feeder allows you to serve up all three food types at once. But, as the British Trust for Ornithology points out, the food provided by bird feeding stations is an excellent supplement to birds’ diets, keeping them well provisioned and healthy, and offering plenty of dietary variety.

The top part of the feeder unscrews, leaving you with three cylinders to fill with seeds, suet, and nuts. There’s no cage guard on the Heavy Duty Seed Feeder so squirrels could still attempt to jump aboard and steal some seeds, but the sturdy aluminium will prevent them from breaking into it as would inevitably happen with an all-plastic feeder. Thrilling as it is for us budding ornithologists to admire them from the comfort of our homes, the birds benefit even more.Each bird feeder comes equipped with a rechargeable 6 volt battery (BT626) and Premium Digital Timer (DFT3REV8) that is capable of feeding up to 24 times per day. Upon closer inspection, however, you will find a classy and bespoke item that does the job without breaking the bank. On the bright side, the Apollo Feeder’s lack of perches prohibits larger birds, such as corvids, from landing on it and scaring off the local robins, finches and tits.

Ground feeders like this model from Gardman are so easy to set up and clean that there’s no excuse for not having one. Ground feeder: As the name suggests, these feeding stations are placed on the ground or elevated just above it.Towns and cities may not have the same number or diversity of birds as the countryside, but there are still plenty of them and they need feeding. The cylindrical food holder is surrounded by a cage guard that allows only small birds through its gaps, keeping unwanted pests at bay. Strong, sturdy, and varmint resistant, the Sweeney Automatic Bird Feeder is the most dependable bird feeder on the market!

With some tray feeders, there’s a risk of food getting soggy in the rain and blocking up the feeder. That way, the birds can see what’s inside the feeder and bird watchers can enjoy watching them feed through the window.This adorable wooden feeder from the National Trust has been designed to look just like a classic birdhouse and can be dangled with ease from any hook or branch in your garden. This is one of the more affordable options out there but the timber is of good quality and the metal micro mesh is fine enough to stop chunks of food falling through onto the ground beneath. If possible, you should place bird feeders in a number of locations and at a variety of heights throughout your garden. As well as looking stylish, it’s expectedly practical too, with the cage layers engineered in such a way to keep out unwelcome visitors, such as squirrels, from stealing seeds.

There is a silver lining to this variable though, in that nuisance birds, such as pigeons, are unlikely to feast themselves at your expense or cause damage to the feeder. Gardman recommends you place it no more than two metres away from cover, such as trees or dense bushes, so that birds can retreat to safety between mouthfuls. During harsh winters, when food is scarce, feeding stations may even help save smaller birds from starving to death. Because the birds can’t pull out big chunks of the peanut each time, the food extraction process can get messy, resulting in peanut crumbs piling up on the ground below. The feeder still has a reasonably slim profile and rotates around with the wind, so you can see just as much as you would be able to with a standard cylindrical feeder.

To stop pigeons, crows and squirrels from stealing too much food you’ll need to pay a little extra for a feeder that’s guarded by a metal cage only smaller birds can fit through. Suet feeder: Suet feeders come in box or tube shapes and, like nut feeders, they use a steel mesh that provides access to the suet balls or cakes within. While the suction cups keep the feeder secure, the inner tray can be removed with ease, so it’s quick and painless to clean and refill.