With the ever increasing popularity of backyard bird watching, we have started to seed the incorporation of more and more technology into backyard birding. But one idea that seems odd on the surface is the concept of a solar powered bird feeder. What is there to power on a bird feeder?
There have been solar powered bird baths for several years, and that idea makes sense, because they often incorporate a working fountain, as the moving water and the sound make the bird bath that much more attractive to the birds. By making the unit solar powered, the installation is significantly eased, as there is no need to have an electrician bring power to the unit, it creates its own with the solar panels. And many of the more modern units will have solar panels that detach from the bird bath itself, so you can install the bath in the shade if you want but the panels can still get full sun so they will do a good job of powering the fountain.
Solar Powered Bird Feeder
These units actually combine another function in with that of the feeder. by day, these just function as normal bird feeders. But at night they transform into landscape lighting, powered by rechargeable cells that were charged during the day. This can work unusually well because the feeder will typically be mounted at eye level or above, casting the light further than the typical garden lighting that is mounted less than a foot above the ground.
When looking for one of these solar powered units, keep in mind that rechargeable batteries don't last forever, so if you can find one that has replaceable batteries so you can extend the life of the feeder.
Mount it in an area where the solar cells get direct sunlight for several hours each day, and keep an eye on the solar cells to make sure that they don't get covered with dirt or droppings, as that will reduce the charge generated by the solar cells. You may want to mount these on a bird feeder pole with a squirrel baffle to keep it away from the critters, as they don't typically have a cage or some other type of pest control.
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