Nature can be amazing; on a fresh, spring morning, there are few things that top watching birds and squirrels run around your back garden.
In the UK, we Brits take feeding our wild birds seriously, and often hang multiple types of feeder to attract everything from collared doves to wrens. Everything from fat ball feeders to nyjer seed, as a nation, we spend an exorbitant amount on feeders and get a good laugh out of watching our robin chase away a mischievous crow!
But while there is usually some common guidance on what to look for in a bird feeder (avoid plastic, make sure it is squirrel and rat proof), it seems that when it comes to choosing the much beloved classic bird table, many people seem confused at what to look for; surely all bird tables are the same?
Between the months of October to April, natural food for birds is scarce and so, when setting up a bird table in your back garden, it is advisable to do so at this time of year. Don’t worry; even though food is available throughout the summer, once the birds have become accustomed to your bird table, they will frequent it often, so you won’t miss them during those warmer summer months.
However, in relation to choosing the right bird table, it is important to consider the following factors and, of course, take your gardens size and location into consideration.
Our top pick
The Hutch Company XL Ballycastle Bird Table
A slightly larger feeding station, this table provides a feeding environment for a wider variety of birds.
Delivered in 3 parts, it is easy to assemble and requires no fiddling with screws or hammers; you just put it together and go! It also comes with twist out feet which made it more stable in high wind conditions, so there is no need to worry about it blowing over or becoming damaged.
Of course, the main drawback of this table is the price; for a bird table that is over £50, the only added feature seems to be the twist out feet which, frankly, could be replicated with some stakes in the ground to hold the legs in place. It has an antibacterial coating to prevent growth of mould and moss but once again, this does not justify the price tag of this bird table.
- 6 Sided Hexagonal Durable Siga Slate Effect
- Twist Out Feet To Increase Stability In High Winds
- Overall Height: 1720mm Roof Head Size is 520mm x 420mm x 420mm
- Made in Great Britain from Sustainable Forests - 2 Trees Planted for Every 1 Cut Down
- Ready Made & Hand Built In The UK Delivered in 3 Parts for Super Easy Assembly
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Height
If you want to discourage wild rats or squirrels from stealing your bird food, you will want to aim for a taller bird feeder. Similarly, if you own a cat or know that one visits your garden often, you will want to deter them from getting near to the birds as they are eating. However, if you have no cats in the garden and don’t find a visit from a breed of bird that has brown fur and a pink tail off putting, then of course, a lower or even a ground table would be ideal.
It is also worth noting that some British birds, like blackbirds, prefer scurrying along the ground to find their food; if you want to hear the beautiful song of a blackbird or a song thrush, then a ground table is one way to attract them.
If you have a medium to large tree in your garden, you could even try a bird table that does not have a pole and attaches to a tree branch instead; just makes sure that you and any of the other people in your home can view the feeding frenzy from your chosen window.
Material
Most bird tables are made of wood, but you can also purchase bird tables made from metal, plastic or even glass. When choosing your bird table, pick one that is a more natural hue; birds rarely approach feeders that are red or purple, so aim for the traditional wood and green colour scheme for your bird table.
Wooden bird tables are usually the cheapest to buy but, it is worth noting, that they require maintenance from the elements and so, you may have to invest in a varnish but it is well worth it! Metal feeders avoid this problem, but can become difficult to land on after a frost and, in the summer, can become overheated.
Plastic tables can break if knocked over by squabbling birds and of course, glass is far from hardy either when it comes to our feuding feathered friends.
Size
This may sound obvious but when you purchase a bird table, you will want to watch your singing visitors come and go as they please, without causing a territory war over your back garden.
Have a look for the most commonly sighted birds in your back garden and aim to attract them with a size specific table; if your garden attracts long tailed tits and nothing else, then you can choose a smaller table.
Do you have crows, collared doves or woodpigeons in your back garden? Then choose a larger table to accommodate their size and weight; these larger birds are prone to being extremely territorial and so, it may be worth investing in more than one table.
But, if you are lucky enough to live out in the country or near a wood, chances are your table is going to attract everything from wrens to magpies and so, you may want to aim for a medium sized bird table or, if you have the money, a myriad of bird tables that are different sizes and designs. A small bird table in your tree near any hanging feeders can provide food for your smaller garden visitors, while a larger, standing heavy duty table can feed your resident woodpeckers, crows and collared doves without causing any tension or damaging the tables.
In this review, we purchased the 5 bird tables below and tested them to see how they fared in the changeable British weather, if they could handle multiple sized birds feeding from them and, of course, if they were easy to clean from bird droppings.
Natures Market Slate Roof Bird Table
Looking like the traditional bird table, this design comes in a flat pack box for assembly at home.
Made from wood and fairly weighty, this table seemed to be able to handle visits from the different sized feather visitors we have in our garden and was fairly resistant to the ever changing wet and cold weather of winter in the UK.
The predrilled holes made assembly easy and with the neutral colours, birds were visiting this table for food within a day.
But, it is worth noting that the wood that this table is made from could have been stronger; when putting the table together, it was prone to splitting in certain areas, making us worry about how long it would last. Also, at 6 kgs in weight, it was easily blown over on windy days, which could cause the wood to split.
- Bird table with slate effect roof and scallop detail.
- Made with stained FSC ceritified wood.
- This bird table is an ideal decoration for gardens and patios.
- Weight : 6.40 Kilograms
- Assembled Dimensions: H152 x W28 x D40 centimetres
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Trixie Natura Bird Feeder
A middle of the road price, this bird table boasts a special roof coating and a special gaze to protect it from the unpredictable British weather; it seems frost proof (not splitting) and has not rotted or discoloured in the seemingly persistent rain we have had.
It was popular with the garden birds and provided ample parts to attach add-ons to, like a bird bath or hanging bird feeders. It is also fairly large and was able to handle visits from our plumper garden visitors.
However, it is also worth noting that depending on where you place this feeder, you may not be able to see the birds as clearly as you would like to; the roof is actually quite low, so if you place the feeder with one side of the roof facing your house, it is unlikely you will see any birds.
- With roof overhang
- With mineral surface roofing felt
- Easy to fill in bird seed
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
The Hutch Company XL Ballycastle Bird Table
A slightly larger feeding station, this table provides a feeding environment for a wider variety of birds.
Delivered in 3 parts, it is easy to assemble and requires no fiddling with screws or hammers; you just put it together and go! It also comes with twist out feet which made it more stable in high wind conditions, so there is no need to worry about it blowing over or becoming damaged.
Of course, the main drawback of this table is the price; for a bird table that is over £50, the only added feature seems to be the twist out feet which, frankly, could be replicated with some stakes in the ground to hold the legs in place. It has an antibacterial coating to prevent growth of mould and moss but once again, this does not justify the price tag of this bird table.
- 6 Sided Hexagonal Durable Siga Slate Effect
- Twist Out Feet To Increase Stability In High Winds
- Overall Height: 1720mm Roof Head Size is 520mm x 420mm x 420mm
- Made in Great Britain from Sustainable Forests - 2 Trees Planted for Every 1 Cut Down
- Ready Made & Hand Built In The UK Delivered in 3 Parts for Super Easy Assembly
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Fordwich Black Rare Bird Table
If you want to attract smaller, rarer birds (like bullfinches or linnet birds) then this table boasts being targeted towards that goal.
How? We aren’t sure but it is, without a doubt, designed for the smaller birds that inhabit the British Isles and so, if you have larger birds frequenting your garden, this is not going to be able to accommodate them.
It comes in 2 parts and is easy to assemble and offers a 6ft extension to make it taller and more noticeable to those smaller feathered visitors.
Overall, this is a good quality bird table but, as said earlier, it is hard to overlook the restrictions towards larger birds based on its size. It does not state how it will attract ‘rarer’ native birds and seemed to attract our resident coal tits, dunnocks and our pair of robins.
- Anti Pigeon/Cat Design Attracts Smaller Rare Birds
- Handbuilt in the UK from Sustainable Low Carbon FSC timber
- Castle In The Sky - Go Bigger With The 6ft Extension
- Shipped Ready Made in 2 Parts
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Resin Ornamental Bird Bath & Feeder Table
A clever design, this table offers your garden birds a food top up, a drink and/or a bath to boot; it’s like a hotel!
Made from resin, it is water proof, frost proof, rot proof and is easy to assemble. It is also reasonably priced too!
But, as it is made from resin, it is hollow and therefore extremely light; the company who sells this offers a solution to solve this issue, stating that it comes with pegs to hold it firmly to the ground. Great, except there were no pegs in the box!
It also boasts being easy to assemble, requiring no tools, except you do need tools to put it together, such as a screwdriver and maybe a hammer.
Overall, it has to be said, this bird table looks cheap in comparison to the other wooden tables that we have reviewed.
- Manufactured from high quality resin in cast iron style.
- Weather and rot proof.
- Easy and quick to assemble, No tools required.
- Dimensions: Height 112cm (3ft 7). Large 50cm diameter bath
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Our Final Conclusion
Overall, this was an enjoyable product review.
But, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for and, it goes without saying that our favourite feeding table was the Hutch Company XL Table; it withstood winds, did not rot and even came with an antibacterial coating.
Although such additional features do not justify the price, they certainly make the table easier to manage; cleaning it was easier and of course, it never fell over! It accommodated a wider range of bird sizes, allowing us to see a broader range of our feathered friends, which is the entire point!
If you are not willing to spend over £50 on a bird table (and I can’t say I blame you), then a close runner up would be the Natures Market table. Although it is flat-pack and the wood seemed prone to splitting, such issues are minor compared to high-end this table looks and, of course, split wood can be sanded down and varnished, to give it extra strength. Just make sure that, if you live on a particularly windy island and you choose the Natures Market table, that you buy some metal pegs to attach it firmly to the ground.
