Cardinal Bird Feeder

I’ve seen destruction of habitat since I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago Illinois most of my life. Our block was 3 houses near remnants of glacier sloughs, natural praries, and rolling hills. Bulldozers scraped away the soils and my home town went from about 500 people to 14,000 today. Gone are the snakes, toads, frogs, native bees, birds, butterflies. All but gone are tumble weeds. Natural flowers along our highways have been nearly replaced by non-natrive invasive species from far off other continents. To see a frog or a snake or a turtle out fishing is like seeing bigfoot or the sasquatch. It is becoming more and more rare to see these. I’m glad bluejays and black capped chickadees and northern cardinals are coming back. All winter I’ve see robins in the thickest brushy areas of the forest preserves. It’s like they’ve never left. You have to look good, but robins are nearby Chicago. Then I go fishing an catch northern pike, sauger, and walleye in somewhat polluted streams.Why?

I live in the Midwest and enjoy feeding the birds. I feed sunflower seeds, suet cakes, thistle, and sugar water. I also have a bird bath. I get a nice variety of cardinals, sparrows, chickadees, finches, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and even an occasional duck — but is there something could offer to bring in rarer birds? Like Orioles? Bluebirds? Doves? More? I live near a creek, greenway and several large, heavily wooded parks.
Thanks — all your answers are great; I’ll give them a try. Unfortunately, I can’t leave a thumbs up — "Pollice verso" — for all of you as a "Level 1," but if I could, I would.

based on your observations? Most people will go by folklore of the Wooly Bear caterpillar others will go by how plants grow.
I feel it will be one of the coldest winters that North Carolina has seen since the blizzard of 77-78. In late August, the squirrels had already started stripping the trees of their nuts (mostly pecan and oak) and by the second week in September, it was done. They usually won’t start till late September mid October. Mice already trying to get in the house. Birds started flying south in mid August and have already seen the flurry of cardinals and black capped chickadees hanging around. They usually don’t do that till late October. Even the Canadian Geese have started their migrations to our area since the end of August, usually it’s late October early November.

What are your predictions for your area or the states in general. Let us know what state you live in as well.

Stay warm
Eye of Mars : LOL! I’m originally from Southern Indiana and I definitely can agree to that.

I have: Carolina Chickadees, Northern Mockingbirds, Northern Cardinals, Tufted titmice, Yellow-bellied sapsuckers, American Robins, Chipping sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, Eastern Bluebirds, Blue Jays, Red-bellied woodpeckers, and a Red-breasted Nuthatch I named Nutty.
Let me guess what you have: Lots of robins, House sparrows, Grackles (blackbirds), Starlings (blackbirds), mourning doves, American goldfinches, and house finches .

How do I get rid of flocks of black birds?

I have two poles with a total of 8 feeders on them. For the first few weeks of May & June, I had cardinals, gold finches, Downy woodpeckers, purple house finches, nuthatches and chickadees.

But all of a sudden the grackles and starlings took over and all I ever see are occasional blue jays who aren’t afraid of the "black plague."

Is there a way to selectively get rid of certain birds? I use a variety of feed including safflower. Peanuts and sunflower seeds are gone in one day. Shiny, sparkling things up in the trees have no effect. I don’t want to put up a fake owl as I will get NO birds!

So, now what?

This is getting expensive!
I live in a residential neighborhood so I don’t dare use all the fire power suggested.
MsLucy!

I didn’t invite the black birds. Until this year, after 20 or so years of feeders, all the birds were the "nice" variety. Many colors, songs, etc. Hummingbirds too.

I think the black birds weasled their way in here.

My idea was that maybe someone knew of seed combination that they couldn’t stand.
Don’t get so bent out of shape!

I moved about 2 years ago and started feeding the birds shortly after that. I had a nice mixture of birds… chickadees, nuthatches, sparrows, juncos, blue jays, cardinals, gold finches (lots of them). So this summer I increased the number of bird feeders and types of food that I offer… thistle, black oil and mixed (each in their separate feeder). I also have suet & a ‘suet ball’ from the meat department out there.

I’ve always had a bunch of birds and now… I’m lucky if I see a couple of nuthatches and woodpeckers a day! What in the heck happened? Any ideas and/or suggestions for what I should do?
YES birds do fly South… BUT the birds that I specifically mentioned do not leave Pennsylvania for the winter! I fed these birds last winter and this summer!

My grandfather bird feeders have bluebirds,cardinals,yellow birds,goldfinches,woodpeckers,blackbirds,chickadees,titmouses,mowckingbirds,finches,doves,wren,snowbirds,robins etc. but he has 4 cages which you put blocks or cakes in of food and he has 3 feeders normally there is an average of 15 birds at his feeders sometimes more than 40 but you hardly ever see the trees without birds he uses various kinds of cakes but the same feed about 3 weeks ago i put up some feeders and he keeps telling me that i will get the various types of birds but so far i have only gotten chickadees,titmouses,doves,woodpeckers,snowbirds,and 1 purple finch but i have 3 cages for cakes and 2 feeders i use the same feed and everything but i cant seem to get the variety of birds i see bluebirds setting on our powerlines but not eating and about a mile or less behind our house where we ride 4 wheelers there is cardinal galore about 20-30 in fields next to a wooded area i need a variety of birds please i need tips

What can I feed the cardinals, chickadees, and wrens that are at my feeders looking for food?

I don’t have any raisins, dates, nuts and other typical bird food suggestions. I mostly just have the basics here. I didn’t make it to the store before the snow came.

What can I feed the cardinals, chickadees, and wrens that are at my feeders looking for food?

I don’t have any raisins, dates, nuts and other typical bird food suggestions. I mostly just have the basics here. I didn’t make it to the store before the snow came.

So, I want to add a bird feeder, and I want to know what kind of nuts the birds would be most interested in feeding on. I know Cardinals like seeds and berries, so would they like grapes? And would roasted peanuts be dangerous for them, or would it not? The roasted peanuts have salt on them. Is that okay? Also, what would chickadees, robins, and morning doves like?