Last updated on June 28th, 2022 at 12:09 am
If you enjoy feeding the birds in your backyard, you may have noticed that some enjoy eating seeds from elevated bird feeders while others prefer feeding on the ground. So, why do some birds like to feed on the ground?
Some birds like to feed on the ground because their food of choice is insects, and they like to poke the ground to look for worms, ants, and other tiny insects. However, when there are no insects on the ground, these birds will move to more elevated places to search for food.
Which Birds Like To Feed on the Ground?
Several ground-feeding birds prefer insects to fruit.
Birds that like to feed on the ground include robins, juncos, starlings, pigeons, wrens, sparrows, larks, water thrushes, and Northern flickers.
Larger ground-feeding species include quails, roadrunners, and grouse.
Many of these bird species also find it very challenging to perch on elevated branches to eat fruit or seed from feeders.
Although waterbirds, such as ducks and swans, can fly, they only do so when necessary, and prefer eating insects and water vegetation than fruit from trees.
How Do I Feed Ground-Feeding Birds?
You can feed ground-feeding birds by scattering seeds or mealworms on the ground, using a low-profile bird feeder, or placing pieces of fruit on your lawn.
However, you must be careful not to attract vermin or bird predators.
Scatter Seeds or Mealworms on the Ground
Ground-feeding birds enjoy insects the most but will also gladly eat regular birdseed.
You can feed them the same birdseed type with which you fill your bird feeders, and the main ingredients should include:
- Sunflower seeds
- Peanuts
- Safflower
- Cracked corn
To ensure that the ground-feeding birds will notice the seeds, try scattering the mealworms or birdseed on a surface that provides good color contrast.
For instance, birdseed is typically light brown, and scattering it on dark paving or a dark sandy area will make it stand out and attract many ground-feeding birds.
It’s also advisable to vary the feeding places because seeds can sometimes sprout, and if there are enough of them, they can cause weeds to grow.
Ground-feeding birds often poke the ground with their breaks when feeding.
But feeding them in the same place every day can kill the grass and make the ground barren.
Use a Low-Profile Bird Feeder
If you don’t like the idea of messing up your lawn or backyard paving with birdseed, you might consider using a low-profile bird feeder.
Some people use large plastic or wooden trays to feed the ground-feeding birds in their backyards.
These do a great job of preventing messy seeds from spoiling the look of your garden.
There are also various low-profile bird feeders on the market.
WOSIBO Ground Bird Feeder (available on Amazon.com) has a beautiful, minimalist design, and the dark color provides excellent contrast for seeds. If you live in a high-rainfall area, you can buy a ground bird feeder with a roof to help keep the birdseed dry, and prevent mold and fungus formation.
You could also make your own ground bird feeder with the following materials:
- A sturdy piece of wood
- A wooden post
- Wood varnish
- Non-toxic wood glue
- A hammer and some nails
Here’s how to make a DIY ground bird feeder:
- Measure a square in the center of the wood, leaving 2” of space on each side of the square.
- Cut the square according to your measurements, and set it aside.
- Glue the 2” wood pieces to the square piece so that they form a lip around it.
- After the wood glue has dried, cut four equally-sized pieces from the wooden post. These will be the legs, so ensure that they are not too long for the ground-feeding birds.
- Using a hammer and nails, attach the wooden posts to the square wooden piece.
- Varnish the bird feeder to protect the wood from the elements of weather. Using a varnish with a UV protector is a good idea as it will protect the wood from becoming brittle.
- You can use your DIY ground bird feeder as soon as the varnish has dried.
Place Pieces of Fruit on Your Lawn
Like other birds, ground-feeding birds enjoy eating fruit because it’s rich in fructose and provides them with instant energy.
Here are a few examples of fruit to feed the ground-feeding birds in your backyard:
- Grapefruit halves
- Banana slices
- Orange halves
- Chopped apples
- Peach slices
Try not to put all the fruit in one location because this will increase the competition between the ground-feeding birds, and they might fight over the fruit.
Instead, cut the fruit into smaller pieces, and scatter them throughout your lawn.
Be Careful Not To Attract Vermin or Bird Predators
One of the main reasons some people don’t like providing food for ground-feeding birds is that they believe it will promote vermin.
This is a correct assumption because mice, rats, and other vermin are attracted to the smell of birdseed and will move toward it.
An excellent way of mitigating the risk of vermin in your backyard while feeding ground-feeding birds is to feed them only what you know they will quickly eat.
When birds are eating on the ground, they also become vulnerable to predators, such as outdoor cats, foxes, and dogs.
Although you can’t control the action of wild animals, if you have an outdoor dog or cat, put a bell on their collar to give the ground-feeding birds a warning.
Placing a cage over your ground feeder is an effective way of protecting ground-feeding birds from predators.
The cage should have bars that are spaced so that the birds can easily pass through but are too narrow for predators.