I have read on the Internet, at one site, that some starlings will try to eat at this style feeder, however. I thoroughly enjoy feeding suet to woodpeckers in my backyard. Greg Gillson. The woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches and other suet eating birds can cling from the bottom and feed upside down; but the larger blackbirds and starlings are more uncomfortable feeding this way. I've thought about buying a suet feeder within a cage. So i put my suet mix in an open tray on a platform because the juncos and towhees and some of the others perch on the platform or tray to eat the suet. Winter feeder birds in the western United States. ... Carolina Wrens eat suet from suet feeders. At first, this stumped the black birds, but being the smart birds they are, they've now figured out how to fly from beneath, hang onto the suet holder, and eat the suet. But about suet. Starlings can't perch on the roof and eat the suet balls. And the woodpeckers and other small clinging birds will enjoy eating in a position that is very natural and comfortable for them. One way around this is to purchase a suet feeder that forces birds to cling and feed upside down. Of those i’ve tried this has been the most effective. The Starling Stumper will work with most sizes and shapes of suet cages. I don't have squirrels to worry about and only a few starlings. Starlings cannot, or have not, attempted to use it since its installation. We have several seed feeders that discourage the starlings, too. They can only eat the suet balls if they are clever enough to hang upside down underneath, and most of them don't seem to be. What is suet? Take cover: Starlings are known for their love of suet cakes, and it is not unusual for them to eat a whole cake in a single day. Woodpeckers can get to it easily. I do not believe it. Back to my original thoughts regarding bird feeding: As I said, starlings must eat. 1. Suet is a popular fall and winter treat for backyard birds, who use the boost of energy from eating suet to help them make it through tough winter weather. A feeder like our durable Eco-Strong Upside Down Suet feeder (shown above) or our nifty Touch-Free Suet Feeder will keep the starlings out of the suet. The woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees can all get at the suet relatively easily. Sometimes an unwelcome feeder guest. The problem is that starlings also LOVE eating most varieties of mixed suet. uusally … Also eat suet at suet feeders. Upside-down suet cake feeders keep birds like starlings and blue jays from gobbling up all your suet! Woodpeckers have no problem with this method, but starlings don’t particularly enjoy eating like this. Foods and feeder types: European Starlings eat sunflower seeds from platform and hopper feeders. To stymie starlings, hang your suet feeder under a domed squirrel baffle or buy a starling-proof suet feeder, which allows birds access to … 2. The more acrobatic starlings can still get in this feeder but only a couple bother and they move on pretty quick. Yellow-rumped Warbler. Another site suggests that pure suet found at meat counters at most grocery stores do not interest starlings or grackles. Just a thought. 1 / 2 Use Grey-Striped Sunflower Seeds: Starlings can crack black oil sunflower seeds, but their beaks aren't strong enough to get into grey-striped seeds. So my adaptation has slowed them down but not stopped them by any means! Get the answers to commonly asked questions feeding suet to backyard birds. My usual suet feeder, as well as my sunflower seed tube feeder are swamped by starlings. I wanted a solution to not being able to put suet outside the Guardian, as the woodpeckers weren't getting any, and this isn't a bad one. I use what ever i have on hand to make the mix.