Bird feeding at height

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 aln 21 Mar 2023

I've moved to the 13th floor of a tower block. If I have window ledge bird feeders, is there any chance I'll attract anything other than crows, gulls and pigeons? 

 Rob Parsons 22 Mar 2023
In reply to aln:

At that height, why not build one of those peregrine nesting platforms on your window ledge? Could get lucky.

 AgentOrange76 22 Mar 2023
In reply to aln:

Im no birder, but whilst Id not rule it out,  small birds like a place of refuge like bushes and trees to fly to and from for protection. Many dont seem to fly at that sort of height normally - again that could be from being vunerable so it may be a case of them not finding the food even if they were prepared to go that high. 

We have 2 feeders and occasionally get plagued with magpies and crows so take them down for a few weeks. It always surprises me how quickly birds find the feeders are back out - often within hours so you may be lucky

 Jenny C 22 Mar 2023
In reply to Rob Parsons:

Or create a Peregrine Feeding Station - lots of roosting options for pigeons, which is usually their main food source.

 Lankyman 22 Mar 2023
In reply to Jenny C:

> Or create a Peregrine Feeding Station - lots of roosting options for pigeons, which is usually their main food source.

I've seen the results of feeding peregrines on Malham Cove. Not sure I'd want a charnel house on my window sill!

 mondite 22 Mar 2023
In reply to aln:

As per others I suspect fairly low likelyhood. That said probably worth a try just to see especially if you know someone you can donate them to if it doesnt work.

 LeeWood 22 Mar 2023
In reply to aln:

which town / region are you in ? parakeets in London ??

 Doug 22 Mar 2023
In reply to LeeWood:

lots of parakeets in London, also in Brussels & Paris

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_parakeets_in_Great_Britain

OP aln 22 Mar 2023
In reply to LeeWood:

Falkirk, C Scotland 

 LeeWood 22 Mar 2023
In reply to aln:

Hence the seagulls, I see. I reckon you're out of luck with ground feeders and routine bird-table fayre. But seagulls along with other soaring birds which survey from altitude could be a better bet. Don't you get hooded crows up north ?

 CantClimbTom 22 Mar 2023
In reply to Jenny C:

No chance sorry, I used to spend a lot of time on the roofs of tower blocks and I never saw one on a building less than 18 stories and only at the start of a job, once it had seen humans it'd be scarce for a long while. Very cautious birds.

 Rob Parsons 22 Mar 2023
In reply to LeeWood:

> ... Don't you get hooded crows up north ?

Hoodies are a north-west coast thing. They're never seen in the central belt.

 Rob Parsons 22 Mar 2023
In reply to CantClimbTom:

> No chance sorry, I used to spend a lot of time on the roofs of tower blocks and I never saw one on a building less than 18 stories and only at the start of a job, once it had seen humans it'd be scarce for a long while. Very cautious birds.

Peregrines? They are nesting on buildings much lower than that. See e.g. https://peregrine.group.shef.ac.uk/

 Bottom Clinger 22 Mar 2023
In reply to Rob Parsons:

Peregrines in loads of towns in Greater Manchester and surrounding area as well. They nest on a mill in Wigan, and in Leigh. Also Bolton, Rochdale, city centre, Chorley. That’s just off the top of my head. 

Ed: posted this once before, but this is a Wigan peregrine, juvenille, just ate a pigeon which it then kicked off the ledge. 

Post edited at 22:11

OP aln 22 Mar 2023
In reply to LeeWood:

> Don't you get hooded crows up north ? 

In the Highlands, not C Scotland. 

 Martin W 23 Mar 2023
In reply to Rob Parsons:

> Hoodies are a north-west coast thing. They're never seen in the central belt.

We do get hoodie/carrion hybrids which, if you're not familiar with pure-bred hoodies on the west side of the country, can catch you out.  Quite regularly to be seen on Portobello beach and other locations around the Firth of Forth.

 Rob Parsons 23 Mar 2023
In reply to Martin W:

I didn't know that; thanks. I will keep an eye out.

 Martin W 23 Mar 2023
In reply to Rob Parsons:

The BTO Bird Atlas distribution map for the Hooded Crow is here: https://app.bto.org/mapstore/StoreServlet?id=910

The one for the hoodie/carrion hybrid is here: https://app.bto.org/mapstore/StoreServlet?id=1247

You can choose different editions of the atlas by selecting the Maps tab on the left hand side of the window, to get an idea of how the distribution has changed over time.


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