Things You'll Need:
- Black-oil sunflower seeds
- Bird feeders
- Suet
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Step 1
Purchase bird feeders at your local department or hardware store. The available varieties range from small feeders constructed of plastic that sell for a few dollars to elaborate glass-and-metal feeders that sell for hundreds of dollars. Choose a feeder that fits your budget. Although well-constructed feeders will stand up to the elements and last longer, the cheerful chickadee doesn't really care which feeder you choose.
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Step 2
Consider buying a squirrel baffle if squirrels are a problem in your area. These vary in price, but you should be able to purchase one for under $15. The baffle hangs between the hanger and the feeder itself. When the squirrel leaps onto the baffle, it swings freely, sending the squirrel off the feeder.
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Step 3
Purchase black-oil sunflower seeds. These provide the energy birds need during the cold months of winter. The striped sunflower seed has a thicker shell and contains less of the oils essential to your birds. Mixed wild birdseed will simply go to waste, as the chickadee will pick out the sunflower seeds and leave the rest.
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Step 4
Hang feeders near shrubs or trees to provide shelter for chickadees. Black-capped chickadees feed by grabbing a seed and flying into a tree to crack it open. Once they have eaten the seed, they will quickly return to the feeder for more. If you can position your feeder where you can view both it and surrounding trees, you will be able to watch the chickadee at the feeder, as well as see him when he opens and eats the seed.
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Step 5
Hang suet feeders to provide an additional source of food for chickadees.
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Step 6
Visit your feeders often, so the chickadees get accustomed to you. Once they realize you are the one who supplies their food, they will become remarkably tame. It is not unusual for chickadees to eat out of your hand if you make yourself visible on a daily basis.
