The best bird feeder and seed for cardinals
Cardinals are heavy-bodied and cannot hang or cling well, so they need a wide ledge or tray. Short perches on a narrow tube suit them badly. Safflower is the classic cardinal seed because grackles, starlings and many squirrels tend to leave it alone.
Which feeder types do cardinals use?
| Feeder | Holds | Squirrels | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hopper feeder | Sunflower, safflower, mixes | Poor unless weight-activated or baffled | A house-shaped reservoir with a wide ledge. The best all-round feeder for cardinals. |
| Platform or tray feeder | Anything | None at all | Draws the widest range of species, including ground feeders. Needs a mesh floor for drainage and daily cleanup. |
| Weight-activated squirrel-proof feeder | Sunflower, safflower, hearts | Excellent | A spring-loaded shroud drops over the ports under a squirrel's weight. The most reliable squirrel-proof design at a hanging feeder. |
| Caged tube feeder | Sunflower, hearts | Good | A wire cage keeps squirrels and large birds (grackles, starlings, pigeons) out. |
Feeders cardinals use, budget to premium
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What seed do cardinals like best?
| Food | Why | Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Safflower | Bitter to many squirrels, grackles, starlings and house sparrows. Birds may need a week or two to switch to it; mix it with sunflower at first. | Keeps well |
| Black oil sunflower | High oil content and a thin shell make it the widest-appeal seed there is. Most feeder birds in most of North America eat it. | Keeps well for months in a sealed metal can |
| Sunflower hearts and chips | Costs more per pound but nothing is wasted as shell weight, and nothing sprouts under the feeder. The best choice over a patio or deck. | Spoils faster; buy what you use in a few weeks |
| Striped sunflower | The thicker shell keeps small finches and house sparrows off it, which is either a feature or a limitation depending on who you want. | Keeps well |
Food to buy for cardinals
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Where and when should you feed cardinals?
- Height and spot: 5 to 6 feet, near dense shrubs they can dart into.
- When: Most active at dawn and dusk, often the first and last birds at the feeder.
- Range: Year round across the eastern two-thirds of the US and the desert Southwest.
- Feeding style: Comfortable feeding on the ground or a low tray, so clear spilled seed and keep cats away.
The same setup also brings blue jays, house finches, chickadees, titmice and nuthatches, which use the same feeder types.
Nesting: An open cup of twigs and grass, 3 to 10 feet up in dense shrubs, vines or small trees. Do cardinals use birdhouses?
Feeders for other birds
Blue Jays · Goldfinches · House Finches · Chickadees · Titmice · Nuthatches · Woodpeckers · Bluebirds · Wrens · Orioles · Hummingbirds · Mourning Doves · Juncos · Native Sparrows · Towhees · Grosbeaks · Robins · Mockingbirds · Pine Siskins · Purple Finches · Redpolls · Keeping starlings and grackles away · Red-bellied Woodpeckers · Downy Woodpeckers · Cedar Waxwings · Quail
Get the cardinals feeding checklist
Feeder, seed, height and cleaning schedule for cardinals on one printable page.
Used only to send the checklist.Frequently asked questions
What is the best bird feeder for cardinals?
A hopper feeder is the most reliable choice for cardinals. Cardinals are heavy-bodied and cannot hang or cling well, so they need a wide ledge or tray. Short perches on a narrow tube suit them badly. Pair it with safflower, place it 5 to 6 feet, near dense shrubs they can dart into, and keep it clean every two weeks. A second feeder type such as a platform or tray feeder widens the appeal without adding much work.
What do cardinals eat at feeders?
In order of preference: safflower, black oil sunflower, sunflower hearts and chips and striped sunflower. Bitter to many squirrels, grackles, starlings and house sparrows. Birds may need a week or two to switch to it; mix it with sunflower at first. Offer one food per feeder rather than a mix, so birds are not flicking unwanted grains onto the ground to get at the one they want.
Where should I put a feeder for cardinals?
5 to 6 feet, near dense shrubs they can dart into. Keep it within 3 feet of a window or beyond 30 feet to avoid collisions, at least 10 feet from anything a squirrel can jump from, and 10 to 12 feet from dense shrubs so cardinals can reach cover without cats being able to ambush them.
When do cardinals come to feeders?
Most active at dawn and dusk, often the first and last birds at the feeder. Range: Year round across the eastern two-thirds of the US and the desert Southwest. Keep feeders stocked and clean through the season cardinals are present in your area, since a feeder that is empty for several days is often abandoned for a neighbour's.
Do cardinals use birdhouses?
No. An open cup of twigs and grass, 3 to 10 feet up in dense shrubs, vines or small trees. Plant or keep dense shrubs (dogwood, viburnum, holly, rose thickets), leave brush piles, and put out nesting material such as short natural fibre in spring. A roofed box will not be used.