Although you may not realize it, you may have already seen or even owned a platform bird feeder.
For those who are unfamiliar, what is a platform? A wooden bird feeder, typically shaped like a square or rectangle, is used to store food specifically for birds. It’s significantly bigger than standard feeders, therefore it’ll attract more species of birds to your backyard. Typically placed atop a post, it can alternatively hang from the fence or rest on the ground.
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A platform bird feeder, with its classic good looks, is a popular choice among gardeners who want to buy bird feeders made out of wood.
Not the most affordable, as wooden bird feeders are often constructed by hand and hence cost more than mass-produced alternatives.
Feeding birds every day can attract additional types of birds, and a platform feeder can help you reach them all.
Hanging bird feeders are only suitable for the more nimble birds, but the platform feeder’s wide, level surface makes it accessible to any and all.
A platform feeder with a roof, however, may limit your options and, depending on your goals, it may be either a good or bad thing.
However, a platform bird feeder attached to a post will undoubtedly make for a secure place for birds to feed.
As a following stage, you can try out some hanging platform feeders, but they are often only suitable for tiny birds.
Platform feeders are tables that can be used to store any kind of bird food, in contrast to hopper-style feeders, which are used to dispense food to birds.
Platform feeders is a food tray or dish
The most important thing to remember when trying to define a platform bird feeder is that it is always a dish, either round or square, into which bird food can be thrown.
Traditional hanging bird feeders take the form of a cylinder to accommodate a wide variety of wild bird feed, but platform feeders are made to work with any kind of bird food.
Just like most platform bird feeders can accommodate larger, troublesome birds in addition to the smaller, more desirable backyard birds, most also cater to the smaller, more desirable backyard birds.
Instead of scattering bird food across the yard in a messy fashion, you can use a platform bird feeder as a tray, much like your own dinner plate.
While most platform feeders feature a perforated wooden base for drainage, you can also locate models with a mesh tray for even more efficient water runoff.
Open to the elements or covered
Any bird feeder that employs a wide, flat surface to store food for multiple species of birds might be considered a platform feeder.
The most frequent form of bird platform feeder is an open structure that is subject to the elements.
Having to replace the food more frequently to keep it fresh is great for the birds, but it’s a nuisance for you.
Exposed to the weather Open platform feeders are platform feeders that don’t have a roof to keep rain and snow out of the birds’ food.
It’s versatile enough to be hung, mounted on a wall or fence post, or even affixed to a post, which is a current trend.
In most cases, though, you will see a standard platform bird feeder attached to a matching wooden post of varying heights.
Hanging style a favorite
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Platform bird feeders with a hanging design are a popular choice amongst homeowners because they provide a convenient and secure way to suspend food from above.
Bird feeders that are mounted to a post are convenient, but those that must be hung, typically from a tree limb, may limit the kind of birds that might use them by discouraging larger birds that could otherwise scare off the smaller ones.
Platform feeders, which hang from the ceiling, are often crafted from wood and feature a perimeter where birds can sit while they feed. It is not uncommon to observe a variety of birds scurrying over the feed to pick at their preferred foods.
A mesh tray with narrower openings would be utilized to contain the food, preventing any spills that could be caused by food dropping through the tray.
The three or four chains used to suspend a platform-style hanging bird feeder will deter even the largest birds from landing for a meal.
Use a platform feeder to hang in the wild, or if you like something more refined, try a tiny, rounded metal dish that may be hung from a bird feeder bracket.
Fixed on post or mounted
A platform bird feeder, which is less prevalent in the United States but more frequent overseas, can also be termed a bird table.
So, it’s reasonable to assume that when most people picture a platform feeder, they picture a platform perched atop a post or stand.
Then, this is the best choice for you, since it typically consists of a sturdy, wooden platform feeder without a roof and a feeding platform installed atop the post.
This wooden post may be anywhere from three to five feet in height, and it could have as many as four legs to keep it stable in windy conditions, but it would be an inconvenience when trying to set up a table.
A platform feeder can be impaled into the ground using a metal post as a spike, but this design is uncommon and may not be readily available.
Traditional platform bird feeders are those that are placed on a stand, as opposed to being hung or mounted on a wall.
Ground level option
Even though the most frequent type of platform bird feeder is one that is hung from the ceiling or fastened to a post, platform feeders that sit on the ground also serve a vital purpose.
Some backyard birds may not be able to, or may not have the instinct to, use a platform feeder because they are more accustomed to foraging for food on the ground, in which case a feeder placed on the ground may be more appropriate.
Still circular, these tables are often square or rectangular and feature legs or stumps to elevate the feeder off the floor, where it poses a greater risk of contamination.
Birds like Blue Jays, Cardinals, and even Blackbirds, which normally avoid the more inconvenient hanging platform feeder, may now be enticed to visit your feeder thanks to this development.
Then, perhaps, they might be referred to as ground level bird feeders, albeit that is quite misleading.
If you find that the majority of the birds visiting your yard are those that dine on the ground, you may consider utilizing a platform ground bird feeder.
Commonly made in wood
While platform bird feeders can be crafted from metal or even more durable plastic, the most visually appealing ones are typically crafted from wood, and more specifically cedar wood.
Once upon a time, platform bird feeders were typically made of wood, with metal fasteners and a metal mesh wiring tray.
It can be left unpainted to wear naturally, but a painted platform feeder would look nicer and better fit in with your backyard’s aesthetic.
Platform bird feeders are favored by backyard bird watchers because their distinctive shape allows for a true, handcrafted wooden bird feeder, in contrast to the plastic or metal hanging bird feeders.
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A wooden platform bird feeder can be used as-is, but the material also lends itself to customization, fortification against predators or pests like squirrels, and easy attachment to other wooden structures.
To attract birds, think about getting a wooden platform feeder, but know that it will need to be preserved once or twice a year.
Mesh tray to allow drainage
In other words, not all platform bird feeders use a metal mesh tray, but rather rely on multiple apertures to let rain water or moisture to drain away.
This is because most platform bird feeders are made of wood, and metal mesh trays might ruin the aesthetics of the feeder.
Platform bird feeders come in a variety of designs, but the most hygienic option is to choose one that features a mesh tray to hold the bird seed.
A simple wooden platform feeder would necessitate regular cleaning on your part to prevent the wood from becoming discolored due to mold growth.
Even if you cover your platform feeder, rain will eventually seep through, so a mesh tray is your best bet unless you plan to constantly remove and replace the food.
The spherical mesh tray often provided on bird feeding stations might be made doable.
Large size for more birds
Although you now have a better understanding of what a platform bird feeder is, I want to stress that this design of feeder is not right for every yard.
You should only get a platform feeder if you’re ready for visits from all kinds of birds, even the bigger ones or the predatory ones that can be a bother to the nicer ones.
Also, platform bird feeders are more of an open invitation to pests, so unless you can absolutely rule out any problems in this regard, you should probably forget about getting one.
It’s realistic to assume that more birds will congregate at a platform bird feeder because of the feeder’s accessibility to more species of birds.
However, this is by no means a sure occurrence, as the foraging behaviors of wild birds may prevent them from ever considering using a hanging platform feeder rather than, say, a ground bird feeder.
And there you have it; if you plan to attract and sustain a growing number of backyard bird species, only then should you invest in a platform feeder.
To summarize
A platform bird feeder is a type of conventional bird feeder that does not utilize any plastic and instead relies on a flat wooden foundation to contain bird seed.
The standard design for a platform bird feeder is an open structure with a huge square or rectangular base to accommodate every kind of bird food imaginable.
It may store a wide variety of foods and attract numerous bird species, no matter how large or small they may be.
The term “platform” is used to refer to the large base of the feeder, the flat top on which the bird food is placed; the platform can be made entirely of wood, or it can be created with a metal mesh tray.
When compared to a hardwood platform with perforations cut into the corners, the mesh tray is more practical because rain water can simply drain away.
There is no uniform look to platform feeders because you can customize them to match the aesthetic of your yard.
Open platform bird feeders set on sturdy hardwood stands are by far the most frequent type found in the wild.
An open or partially covered platform could be mounted on a fence post or tree stump in the absence of a stand.
The popular half-wooden, half-metal hanging feeder is another style of platform feeder. These are typically hung from a tree branch.
A feeder that sits on the ground, on a fence, or on a wall is another option.
Source: https://petstutorial.com
Category: Birds
