Bird tables can be bought in garden centres, pet shops, local hardware stores, and online. Bird tables provide you with the opportunity to both support wildlife and decorate your garden.
If you’re not sure which table to buy due to sheer variety available, know that you’re not alone. Our buyers guide will help you find the best bird tables for your outdoor space today!
Below, we’ve provided you with our favourite bird tables for your garden. These bird tables have been carefully chosen to ensure the ultimate safety of the birds visiting the area. For more information, keep reading!
In This Guide
Our Favourite Bird Tables This Year
Riverside Woodcraft – Best Overall
Riverside is one of the most popular companies out there for those looking to improve their gardens. This Riverside birdbath is larger and more stable than many others on the market.
This birdbath comes with two lower tables, which match the upper table in both shape and look.
To prevent your package from getting damaged during the shipping process, the bird table is separated into two sections that need to be assembled.
Wildfire World Bempon – Editor’s Pick
£30.82 in stock
1 used from £27.56
This bird table is one of the most attractive ones on our list. It’s made from FSC timber and includes intricately-made woodwork that is coupled with a green finish and a copper roof.
This is made to be a hanging bird table, but you can also buy the company’s pole system and combine the two if you prefer to have a standing bird table.
This area provides you with a safe area for small birds to feed without the risk of having big birds or predatory birds from taking over.
Riverside Wood Craft Bird Table – Best for Cleanliness
With this product, Riverside aims to provide users with customised bird tables.
While the bird table is 1.2 metres high, Riverside also claims that they can customise the bird table for your tastes or needs in the garden. It also features a coating that makes the table resistant to fungus and to bacteria.
The Hutch Company Bird Table – Most Versatility
The Hutch Company has created bird tables that are suitable for all kinds of birds. It has an open structure, which makes it ideal for those who are trying to reduce fighting between birds.
It is also made in the U.K. from sustainable forests. For every tree that is cut down to construct this bird table, two trees are planted.
MayPole Anti-Fungal Bird Table – Best for Large Birds
With this product, MayPole has created a bird table that primarily benefits large birds. Because of this target population, the bird table is quite big compared to some of the others on this list.
As such, the bird table is also heavier and more stable, allowing more security for those who are concerned about the table being knocked over.
Its roof is quite steep, which prevents predators from being able to attack the birds while they’re eating. One of our favourite things about this bird table is that it comes with clear instructions.
You don’t need to fumble around with it before putting it together and, instead, you can put it to good use right away.
Nature’s Market – Best Technology
This Nature’s Market bird table is ideal for those looking for a bird table that incorporates both style and technology. It has a slanted roof that prevents predators from being able to attack the birds eating from the bird table.
Keep in mind that this bird table is large, so you’ll need to have space for it in your garden. If you’re planning to use this bird table for large birds, it may one of your best options.
The Hutch Company Deluxe Bird Table – Eco Friendly
The Hutch Company aims to provide customers with bird tables that provide both a place for birds to have access to water and a place for them to eat.
Like the other Hutch Company bird bath table on the list, two trees will be planted for every tree used to create this feeder.
This product is made completely out of timber, which is healthier for birds than some other materials on the market.
Riverside Woodcraft Gothic Bird Table – Best Aesthetic
This is the third Riverside bird table on our list. It’s best for those who are looking for a bird table that adds style to your garden. It’s made from local products and has a two-toned, composite slate roof.
When it’s been fully assembled, this bird table will be 6-feet high and is of medium-size, making it ideal for those who want to give smaller birds plenty of space to roam.
Denny International Bird Table – Best Functionality
This is one of the best bird tables if you’re looking for something that can give you the most variety in functionality. It provides you with an area to feed, water, and bathe your birds.
This will attract a wider variety of birds. It also has a spiked base, which makes it easier for this bird table to be installed in a grassed area or in your garden.
Rowlinson Bisley Bird Table – Best Design
Rowlinson Bisley has a two-sided wooden apex roof that prevents small animals like squirrels from being able to get into the bird table. It is also shipped in as few pieces as possible to ensure anyone can assemble this bird table with ease.
All fittings and tools are included so you don’t need to spend extra money to use your bird table. This bird table is ideal for those who are targeting small bird populations and is the perfect size to feed small birds without having fights erupt over food.
Best Selling Bird Tables
Curious as to what everyone else is buying? Here’s the top 10 best selling bird tables of 2020.
Our Comprehensive Bird Table Buying Guide
If you’re wondering how you should be choosing your bird table, we have a list of some of the factors you should consider.
Size
Your bird table should be medium-sized or large. Small bird tables will cause birds to fight over their food and over space. To prevent this from happening, you should have a bird table that makes up an area of at least 3-4 feet.
Materials
The materials you use for your bird table will play a part in how much maintenance you have to do and how clean your garden looks. The majority of bird tables you’ll find are made of wood, but these have the reputation of being less durable compared to other materials.
You can also use metal, plastic, or polycarbonate tables. These materials don’t look as natural as wood does, however, they may be better options for those who are looking for bird tables that are easy to clean and maintain.
Posts
The posts are the pieces of the bird tables that provide the most stability. You should buy a post that prevents cats and mammals from being able to climb up the post.
If the post has a lot of knobs and holds, this gives animals the opportunity to climb up the pole, which can endanger the lives of birds.
Design
Like we mentioned before, the overall design shouldn’t have too many rifts and ridges. There should also be drainage channels to ensure that water isn’t sitting for too long.
If you can, try to get a bird table that has a bird bath because this will promote cleanliness and wellness with the birds you’re feeding.
The Birds You Plan To Feed
If you want to get the right bird table for your garden, you may want to consider which birds you’re targeting. If, for example, you’re targeting larger birds, you’ll need much larger bird tables.
There are also adjustable bird tables available that allow you to accommodate for multiple types of birds.
Bird Table FAQs
You may have some questions that we haven’t gotten the chance to answer yet, which is where this section comes into play.
What food do you put in a bird table?
The kind of food you put in a bird table will depend on which birds you’re planning to feed. Some birds will need specific nutrients, so you may want to do some research on the birds in your area.
If you’re not targeting a specific bird population, there are a few items that you can add from within your own home. You can, for example, use natural peanut butter, wild bird seed and cooked rice.
These are some of the most popular items you can include in a bird’s diet because they’re packed with nutrients and are fillers, allowing birds to get fuller faster.
If you’re buying pre-made bird food, there are a few things you should be looking out for. Look for foods that have high concentrations of nutrients like peanuts, seeds, and live food.
In their natural habitat, birds will feed on live bait like mealworms and waxworms. You can buy these at your local pet store. If your food comes with whole peanuts, you may want to consider cracking or breaking them to ensure they’re edible for the birds.
Does a bird’s diet change during cold weather?
Knowing what to feed your bird when the weather changes can save the lives of the birds you’re planning to feed. Try to keep out food and water at all times.
During colder weather, you’ll want to be feeding them at least twice a day. Depending on how many birds you’re feeding, you may want to consider feeding them three times a day.
You should also be feeding birds foods with a higher fat content when colder weather comes along. This fat will help to keep the birds warm during cold weather and will keep them full for longer.
You can buy birdseed mixtures that have oils in them, which will help to boost these fat contents. Alternatively, you can feed birds anything you have laying around your kitchen.
Dried fruit without pits or seeds, kitchen scraps, cheese, and plain pasta are just a few examples of which foods you can safely feed to birds.
Where should I put my bird table?
This is a valid question. If you’re wondering where you should put your bird table on your property, there are a few general guidelines that you can follow.
For one thing, you’ll want to place your bird table in an area that keeps your birds safe. Keep them away from predatory animals like other birds or mammals and try to keep the bird table close to a bush.
This will allow the birds feeding on your bird table the opportunity to get cover if ever they’re in danger.
You should consider proximity to fences so as to avoid cats and other predatory animals being able to leap directly onto the table.
A quiet spot away from tall structures where you can watch from indoors is the most pleasant and safest place for your bird friends to visit.
Should I treat my bird table?
Whether you treat your bird table or not is entirely up to you. Keep in mind that treating your bird table will make it last longer and will make it more resistant to the elements.
You should keep in mind, however, that treating your bird table can negatively affect the birds that eat from it. If you know that you want to treat your bird table, you may want to go with water-based preservatives because they don’t have as many toxins.
Protek Wood Stain has been approved by the RSPB as it contains no chemicals that are harmful to birds or chicks.
How can I maintain my bird table?
You need to keep your bird table clean and maintained if you want to prevent bacteria and fungi from building in it. When bacteria builds up on your bird table, this can cause disease within the bird populations you’re trying to feed.
One way to prevent bacteria from building onto the table is to remove all food and crumbs from it when the birds have finished eating.
Next, you should use disinfectant to clean it. Keep your disinfectant mild to ensure no toxins will affect the birds.
You should also move your bird table around to prevent droppings from collecting under or on the table. This can also cause disease. Once a year, you should be taking the time to clean the bird table deeply.
If you treat your wood, this is when you’ll apply a new coat of treatment and if you have loose screws, you should tighten them up, and check the entire table over for damage and splintering wood so that you can sand it down and keep it safe for your birdie visitors.
How can I attract birds to my bird table?
Learning how to attract birds to your table is one of the best ways to have more birds profit from the bird tables. To get as many birds as possible to your garden, increase the fat content of the food you’re providing them with. You can cut up bacon slices or pour some bacon fat on the food.
Having a constant supply of clean water is another way to attract birds to your garden. When the birds see your home as a safe harbour, you’ll see an increase in the number of birds in your yard.
Consider investing in hanging bird feeders as well as bird tables. These will allow you to accommodate more birds of different types.
Final Thoughts – Picking Out The Right Bird Table For Your Garden
With the Summer season going into full swing, many are looking for ways to support the wildlife around them. Having bird tables in your garden is one of the best ways to ensure the local species survive another year of harsh winters and scolding summers.
If you’ve kept up with us this far into our guide, you should now have all the know-how and information you’ll need to confidently shop for your own bird table.
We’ve given you our top picks, explained what makes for a solid bird table and we’ve even answered some of the burning questions that people have while shopping for one.
Whether you have a courtyard, small yard or large garden it can always be put to use in sustaining our beautiful British wildlife for many years to come.
With that, it’s our turn to hear from you. What birds are you hoping to attract with your new bird table? Let us know in the comments below
Last update on 2024-04-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
