If you love watching garden birds visit your garden, you may want to think about investing in more than a hanging bird feeder. Why? Because different species of birds enjoy feeding from different kinds of eateries.
Blackbirds, robins and wrens prefer food that’s available at ground level. This of course can attract unwanted visitors – so be wary of that and offer some protection too. Small tits and finches, however, are happy guzzling seeds from smaller hanging tables.
Larger birds need more space and a sturdy platform. If you’re more interested in helping smaller species, a roof over your table will prevent large birds, such as wood pigeons, from dominating it. You’ll find many tables have an adjustable roof, which gives you more choice when it comes to attracting birds.
Want some tips on how to attract birds into your garden? And if you're looking for wonderful places to go birdwatching?
Bird tables for all types of garden birds
We’ve chosen a selection of bird tables for the garden to suit every style, size and budget. Here’s our list of bird tables for all types of garden birds.
Bird Feeding Hut
If you have a balcony or smaller garden and want to attract birds, this feeding hut from Crocus can be placed in a large pot if you're limited on space. If you are staking it into the ground or a flower bed, it has a handy second spike to help with stability.
Its modern design and attractive conical spun aluminium roof lends itself to a more contemporary garden style and offers a refreshing alternative to traditional wooden bird tables. The drainage holes in the tray base help prevent water-logging and the tray itself can be removed for cleaning.
Ground Feeding Table
From the National Trust, this attractive ground feeding table will help encourage robins, blackbirds, thrushes, tits and finches to your garden. The legs raise the platform slightly off the ground to help with bird hygiene and the base is in fact a stainless steel mesh, rather than wood, to allow rainwater to drain through and to prevent food from becoming damp and mouldy.
We would recommend adding some protection from squirrels and other ground predators such as cats.
Fully Caged Bird Table
With full bells and whistles, this feeding platform has a sturdy base, two smaller side feeding tables and a main table with a roof and cage to protect garden birds from squirrels, cats and larger birds.
It is one of the pricier bird tables in our list but this is a large bird table made from FSC certified red pine and finished with a long-lasting weatherproof coating. You can even upgrade the roof to recycled plastic, which will provide even more protection from wet weather and it'll be easier to clean.
You can choose to have a cage with a 38mm opening or a 50mm depending on the birds you want to feed from the table.
Large Open Bird Table
Sturdy and protected with an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial finish, this is a long-lasting table suitable for a garden of any size. The dimensions of the platform are generous and allows you to leave nuts, seeds, fruit or food scraps out for feathery visitors of all sizes. And perhaps a water dish too.
Nordic Style Bird Table
Simple construction with a stylish design, we like how this bird table is a fresh take on more traditional styles, but it still provides bird table basics: a place to feed, protection from the weather and a sturdy placement spike. It sits well off the ground to help deter predators and the dome shape of the roof is a bonus too.
The table has been pre-treated to provide some weather-resistance.
RSPB Adjustable Bird Table
Buy from RSPB shop (£125.00)
With three different roof heights, this table with its sliding feeding platform, it a great choice if your smaller birds are being bullied out of the garden by larger ones; making the gap between the feeding platform and the roof will deter birds such as wood pigeons and collard doves.
This bird table is made from FSC certified pine and a treatment of non-toxic water-based stain gives the roof some weather proofing. Bird hygiene is important, so the RSPB have made sure the recycled plastic tray in the feeding platform can be removed for cleaning. You can also remove the roof for when your garden bird table needs a thorough spring clean.
Ground Bird Feeder with Cage
Another ground feeding station, but this one has a protective cage build in. The feeding tray is the smallest in the selection, but tits, robins and finches will feed happily from it without having the competition from larger pigeons, jays and magpies.
The frame is made from powder coated steel so it's incredibly weather-proof and there's nothing to assemble with this one. Simply find a good spot - ideally near a hedge or somewhere the birds can quickly find shelter - fill with food and watch the birds fly in.
Glass Bird Table
For the urban garden where style is as important as practicality. This glass feeder from Danish designer Eva Solo also doubles up as a bird bath thanks to the dip - made for filling with water - at the top of the feeder. The globe shape allows small birds safety while feeding, and you can easily enjoy watching them.
Perfect for tits, wrens and finches who will happily perch on the the edge of the globe. This feeder is also easy to clean as all parts are dishwasher-safe.
Remember to keep your bird feeders clean
The RSPB recommend cleaning all feeders once a week to stop the spread of diseases which are causing populations of garden birds to decline.
Don't forget to provide water for preening and drinking, too – here are 10 of the best bird baths.