About YardBirdHQ

Most feeder advice starts with the gear: here's a feeder, now see what shows up. We think the better question is the one people actually ask at the window: how do I get a cardinal to come here? So YardBirdHQ works backwards. Pick the species, and the field-guide entry tells you the food, the feeder type, the placement and cover, whether water or a nest box moves the odds, and — honestly — how long it takes. Sometimes that answer is "days." Sometimes it is "weeks, and only if your yard fits." We say which.

The recommendations come from two linked databases: 14 species entries built strictly from standard field-guide knowledge (no invented claims — our sourcing statement), and 10 pieces of gear scored on documented weights, with every smart feeder flagged for what its subscription actually gates. The chips are the house style: berry for subscription for AI ID, forest green for no subscription.

One more thing, because it is part of who this site is for: our readers skew older, and the site is built for that. Body text is set in Atkinson Hyperlegible, a typeface the Braille Institute designed for maximum character distinction, at a larger-than-usual base size with high contrast and generous spacing. Readability here is not a feature — it is the brand.

We earn affiliate commissions when you buy through our links — disclosed on every page it applies, and firewalled from scoring. Corrections, species requests, or a feeder you want on the bench? Get in touch.