Hopper Feeders
by BWD editor Bill Thompson, III
Hopper feeders come in many different styles, but the old favorite looks like a little barn or covered bridge. The sides are usually panels of Plexiglas or glass, positioned in a V shape. These sides not only serve to funnel the seed downward and out as it is eaten, but also allow you to see how much seed remains. Filling access is usually through the top.
The best hopper feeders can be completely disassembled for cleaning. Hoppers can be pole mounted, often with a threaded sleeve that screws onto the threaded top of a galvanized pipe. They can be suspended, too, by heavy rope, wire, or a chain.
The two best features of hoppers are that they hold a lot of seed, so you don't have to go out every day to refill them, and they're big and bird friendly. Shy birds or big birds like doves, jays, and woodpeckers, are able to land and feed from them comfortably. In addition, birds that are reluctant to perch on tube feeders or cling to globe feeders will happily come to a hopper.
You can use any kind of seed in a hopper feeder because of its gravity-feed system. Sunflower seed is a favorite of many hopper feeder visitors, but seed mixes containing millet, corn, and peanut hearts can be fed in these feeders, too.
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