In which a sparrow is a clinging bird

[ysabetwordsmith]

Technically speaking, sparrows are supposed to be perching birds, unable to do the stunts that clinging birds can do.  But they're smart little buggers.  The sparrows in my yard are entirely capable of learning how to cling upside-down to a suet feeder.  They aren't as good at it as the woodpeckers, but they are plenty good enough to get the food

Comments

[rowangolightly]

Yep, I have sparrows and house finches who do that just fine too.

I just put out a thistle seed sock outside my sewing room window hoping I can coax a few of them to the window I look out all the time instead of the patio doors which are only about 5' away but no luck so far.

The tufted titmouse only goes for the sunflower seeds and only one at a time; he grabs one and then flits away.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I just put out a thistle seed sock outside my sewing room window hoping I can coax a few of them to the window I look out all the time instead of the patio doors which are only about 5' away but no luck so far. <<

Alas, it's been a while since I could afford thistle seed. I used to have a thistle feeder with grilles so you could take off the perches, which gave the clinging birds (goldfinches and indigo buntings, here) an advantage over perching birds like sparrows. I even had a really cool upside-down feeder, which was nearly sparrow-proof. They would swing under the perch, grab one mouthful, and fall off.

Re: Thoughts

[rowangolightly]

I made this one out of some cheesecloth. I'm thinkng of wiring a tray from a planter to it to catch the seeds and give the birds a landing spot.