It doesn’t seem that many years ago that tube seed feeders all had simple straight perches. Such a perch is fine for species such as Greenfinch and Great Tit, but Chaffinches can struggle on them and ground feeders, like Robins, find them impossible.

The solution to the problem was a relatively simple one and came in the shape of a circular perch which effectively provides a platform for birds to stand on – as you can see here in this photo of a Robin comfortably sharing a Bird Lover’s Feeder with a Coal Tit. We’ve also heard from at least one customer of Blackbirds being able to cling onto circular perches and take sunflower hearts out of the feeder – albeit with a lot of wing flapping!

We’re not sure why manufacturers took so many decades to come up with the circular perch solution, but at least now most new feeders come with them. But if you have a Droll Yankee feeder with straight perches, then this can easily be converted by simple Perch Rings which slide over them.

If you want to ensure that species such as Robin are able to get the benefit from a tube feeders with circular perches, then remember that they’ll need either a husk-free mix or sunflower hearts, as soft bill species can’t remove the husk from a seed. Suet pellets are also a good option.

If you’ve some stories, photos or both of how different species have been able to use tube feeders because of circular perches, then please do share them with us.