The best bird feeder and seed for chickadees
Tiny and acrobatic. Take one seed at a time and fly off to open it, so they use every feeder type. Chickadees are the bird most likely to use a window feeder and a nest box in the same yard.
Which feeder types do chickadees use?
| Feeder | Holds | Squirrels | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tube feeder | Sunflower, hearts, mixes | Poor unless caged or weight-activated | The workhorse for small clinging birds. Metal ports resist squirrel chewing. |
| 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. |
| Suet cage | Suet cakes | Squirrels chew suet | The simplest feeder there is. Hang on a trunk or pole. |
| Window feeder | Sunflower, hearts, mixes | Depends on the window | Suction-cup feeders on the glass are the safest possible placement for collisions: birds leaving cannot build up speed. |
Feeders chickadees use, budget to premium
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What seed do chickadees like best?
| Food | Why | Storage |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Shelled peanuts | Raw or dry-roasted, never salted or flavoured. Use a mesh feeder so birds peck pieces rather than swallowing whole kernels in nesting season. | Keep dry and cool; mould is the risk |
| Suet and suet dough | Rendered suet cakes are the standard; no-melt doughs blend fat with flour or cornmeal to hold shape in heat. | Raw suet goes rancid above about 70 F; use no-melt dough in summer |
Food to buy for chickadees
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Where and when should you feed chickadees?
- Height and spot: 5 feet, near trees.
- When: Year round; the first to find a new feeder.
- Range: Black-capped in the North, Carolina in the Southeast, mountain chickadee in the West.
- Feeding style: Feeds at hanging feeders; a pole with a baffle keeps squirrels off without bothering them.
The same setup also brings cardinals, blue jays, goldfinches, house finches and titmice, which use the same feeder types.
Nesting: Chickadees use nest boxes. See the Black-capped Chickadee house dimensions: 4 x 4 inch floor, 1 1/8 in hole, mounted 4 to 15 ft up.
Feeders for other birds
Cardinals · Blue Jays · Goldfinches · House Finches · 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 chickadees feeding checklist
Feeder, seed, height and cleaning schedule for chickadees on one printable page.
Used only to send the checklist.Frequently asked questions
What is the best bird feeder for chickadees?
A tube feeder is the most reliable choice for chickadees. Tiny and acrobatic. Take one seed at a time and fly off to open it, so they use every feeder type. Pair it with black oil sunflower, place it 5 feet, near trees, and keep it clean every two weeks. A second feeder type such as a hopper feeder widens the appeal without adding much work.
What do chickadees eat at feeders?
In order of preference: black oil sunflower, sunflower hearts and chips, shelled peanuts and suet and suet dough. 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. 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 chickadees?
5 feet, near trees. 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 chickadees can reach cover without cats being able to ambush them.
When do chickadees come to feeders?
Year round; the first to find a new feeder. Range: Black-capped in the North, Carolina in the Southeast, mountain chickadee in the West. Keep feeders stocked and clean through the season chickadees are present in your area, since a feeder that is empty for several days is often abandoned for a neighbour's.
Do chickadees use birdhouses?
Yes. Chickadees are cavity nesters and will use a nest box built to their dimensions: a 4 x 4 inch floor and a 1 1/8 in entrance, mounted 4 to 15 feet up. See the dedicated box page for placement.