If you want to attract birds to your yard or porch, a bird feeder is one of the best ways to do it. Not into feathered friends? Bird feeders also make a great gift for family members or friends who are nature lovers .

Whether buying a bird feeder for yourself or as a gift, you want it to safely attract feathered friends. To help you shop, I spoke with bird experts about what to look for in a bird feeder and what to fill it with. I also asked them for bird feeder recommendations, which I compiled into a list below.

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The best bird feeders of 2026

“I’ve used a hopper feeder hung from a shepherd’s hook in my front yard,” says Giselle Pemberton , an avid birder and wildlife photographer. “It’s great from smaller birds.” This one has a 360-degree perch so that birds can fully encircle it.…