Avoid Losing Money With A Clever Accessory That Saves Spare Birdseeds

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Bird lovers spend billions of dollars each year on birdseed, and much of it spills from the feeders and is left uneaten. Even if you DIY your own birdseed to save some dough, wasted seed is still wasted money. Clever folks have developed products to rein in wasted seed, and hanging seed catching hoops are emerging as an affordable option. Suspended under a bird feeder, a seed catching hoop is there to capture falling seed and serve as a platform feeder at the same time. These handy inventions dangle from a team of cords a foot or more beneath a feeder. Each cord ends with a hook that slips over the feeder's perching bar. The catching hoops are significantly wider than the feeders themselves and often have a lip that prevents the caught seeds from further spillage.

There are scores of brands and styles to choose from, but many have racked up an eyebrow-raising percentage of low reviews. Dissatisfied users complain that the hoops are lightweight enough to be tossed about in the wind, and that the material is frustratingly flimsy. Not to worry if you live with high winds; there are plenty of other options, both ready-to-order or DIYs, that can serve the same purpose and do it a bit better.

There are plenty of benefits of having a bird feeder in your yard, and wasted seed doesn't have to be a given when you own feeders. Considering the negative feedback on lots of these contraptions, it's reasonable to assume that bird aficionados with wind-sheltered outdoor spaces will have better luck with many of these models. For those of you living in less-windy areas, seek out a seed catching hoop with a large diameter and high lip that provides lots of surface and containment for fallen seeds. The Lettry 2-Piece Birdseed and Shell Catcher Tray meets a lot of the criteria for a purchase-worthy item. It's available in 20-, 24-, and 30-inch sizes and has a 4-inch-high rim to hold the fallen seeds.

The Kritkin Birdseed Catcher Tray could potentially withstand regular breezes. Its wooden frame and fiberglass mesh are meant to last. Plus, at nearly 2 pounds, it's more than twice as heavy as some polyester and plastic mesh hoops. This extra pound could prevent the "kite" phenomenon mentioned by unhappy reviewers of lightweight hoops.

Part of the charm of these hanging hoops are their swinging nature. But if steady winds make these inventions impractical for you, opt for a similar product that's not subject to robust breezes. The Myard Plastic Universal Birdseed Catcher mounts on any pole beneath a feeder. It's made from anti-UV clear plastic and is equipped with drainage holes.

There are plenty of options for whipping up your own seed-saving device from used or repurposed objects. Make use of items you already have, hit up thrift stores, or find a product meant for another use that could become part of a hand-made seed saving rig.

Placing a large circular tray or dish on the ground beneath your feeder is an extremely easy way to catch seeds. Every few days, pour the tray's contents back into your feeder. You may have a spare wire wreath form or large embroidery hoop. (If you don't, they are common items you'll find at thrift stores.) Cut a large circle of window screen fabric to either stitch around the wreath form or fit between the two embroidery hoops. Around the rigid rim, loop chains or cords with hooks at the end that can slip over the bird feeder's perch.

Hanging planter baskets that you're not using make attractive seed catchers. If mess is all you're concerned about, fill it with flowers and greenery and hang it from your feeder. The seeds will fall into the basket rather than littering your yard. Get a bit more use out of the seeds by hanging a basket with a coir liner beneath your feeder; while it's not as easy to reuse the fallen seeds from this trick, since they can become enmeshed in the coir, the weight of the basket and liner will keep it from swinging excessively in the wind.