Cardinals are popular backyard birds that add a splash of bright color to gardens and bird feeders. Their bright red plumage and distinctive crest make them easy to identify. Cardinals are also territorial songbirds that tend to return to the same backyard feeders year after year.
Many bird enthusiasts want to attract cardinals to their yards. However, some have concerns about whether cardinals can access seeds and other foods from caged mesh feeders. Here we’ll look at the evidence to help answer the question: can cardinals use caged feeders?
Cardinal Beak Size and Strength
A cardinal’s beak is strong and adapted for cracking open seeds and hard grains. The conical shape allows them to maneuovre seeds and reach into tight spaces.
Cardinals have an average beak length around 1 inch. This is proportionately larger and more robust than the slender bills of many songbirds. The cardinal’s thick beak is specialized for crushing seeds.
The beak size and strength allow cardinals to exert high bite force. Measurements indicate cardinals can apply over 50 pounds per square inch of bite force with their beaks.
This physiology suggests cardinals have the beak strength and size needed to manipulate caged feeder openings. Their beaks can likely fit into mesh openings and have the power to crack and manipulate seeds through the cage.
Behavior of Cardinals at Feeders
Field observations reveal that cardinals commonly use mesh and caged feeders successfully. Cardinals are regularly seen foraging at tube feeders with wire mesh, lantern feeders with small openings, and platform feeders with a wire grid above the seed tray.
Cardinals have been observed to grip mesh openings with their beaks to extract seeds. They also hang upside down and contort their bodies as needed to access the seed.
The territorial nature of cardinals also encourages them to make use of caged feeders they see as part of their territory. They are reluctant to surrender feeders they have claimed to competing birds. This motivates them to find ways to extract the seeds, even from more challenging feeder designs.
Experts recommend placing mesh and caged feeders at an appropriate height for easy use by cardinals. Positioning the feeders just 3-5 feet off the ground allows cardinals to hang, cling, and perch in ways that provide better access.
Types of Caged Feeders Cardinals Can Use
Many types of caged bird feeders are used successfully by cardinals. Some examples include:
Tube Feeders
Tube feeders consist of vertical transparent plastic cylinders filled with seeds, with metal mesh covering the openings. Cardinals can cling to the mesh with their feet and pull out sunflower seeds and other grains.
Tube feeders with 1-inch spacing between the mesh are ideal for cardinals. They can fit their beaks through to pick out seeds while discouraging smaller birds.
Mesh Sock Feeders
Sock feeders are made of flexible mesh in a tubular sock shape. These are filled with thistle seeds or sunflower seeds and tied off at the bottom.
Cardinals can perch on sock feeders and forage for seeds through the side mesh. The flexible mesh also allows them to deform the tube to reach the seeds.
Lantern Feeders
Lantern-style feeders have a wire mesh cage around a central seed chamber. Cardinals gain access by clinging to the wire frame to pick out seeds from holes on the sides.
Since the feeder hangs down, cardinals can more easily perch, hang, and contort themselves to extract seeds at different angles.
Platform Feeders
Platform feeders with hopper or tray designs allow easy cardinal access. When a wire grid is placed above the platform, larger birds like cardinals can feed while deterring smaller species.
Cardinals stand on the tray and use their thick beaks to sift and hull seeds from below the protective grid. Their dexterity allows them to flip and manipulate seeds through the cage openings above.
Best Practices for Bird Feeders
To successfully attract cardinals, bird experts recommend following some best practices when setting up caged feeders:
– Place feeders 3-5 feet off the ground near trees or shrubs for easy cardinal access. Elevated feeders also protect seed from other wildlife.
– Use feeders with wider spacing between the mesh or wire, at least 1-inch openings.
– Supply a mix of seeds appealing to cardinals, including sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, cracked corn, millet, and peanuts. Offering multiple feeders with different foods may attract more cardinals.
– Clean feeders regularly with a weak bleach solution to prevent mold and bacterial growth.
– Avoid overcrowding in one area. Space feeders 10-15 feet apart to reduce dominance by aggressive birds.
– Place feeders near natural food sources like dense bushes or fruit trees cardinals favor.
Following these tips allows you to create a welcoming backyard habitat for cardinals to thrive. Monitoring your feeders will reveal how adept cardinals are at accessing caged feeder designs.
Conclusion
Evidence strongly suggests cardinals can succeed at extracting seeds from mesh and caged style bird feeders.
Key facts supporting this are:
– Cardinals have thick, strong beaks adapted for cracking hard seeds. Their bite force can exceed 50 psi.
– Field observations consistently show cardinals using tube, sock, lantern, and platform feeders with protective mesh coverings.
– The behavior of cardinals shows they are highly motivated to gain access to seeds they see as part of their territory.
– Cardinal-friendly feeder placement and seed mixes can increase their feeder usage.
So offering caged feeders should not deter these striking songbirds from visiting your backyard. With their athleticism and beak strength, cardinals can take advantage of seeds in tube feeders, mesh socks, lanterns, platforms, and other caged designs. Positioning the feeders appropriately allows cardinals to cling, perch, and maneuver to successfully feed in any seed-dispensing feeder. Attracting cardinals to a yard is more about offering their preferred foods and habitat than limiting feeder options.