📍 Bird Feeder Placement Reference Chart

A general reference of placement guidelines to attract birds safely and reduce window strikes and predation risk.

Why the window rule has a gap in the middle

The chart's first two rows look contradictory until you think about speed. A startled bird needs runway to reach an injuring impact, so the danger sits at a middle distance:

0–3 ft   safe    no room to accelerate before the glass
5–30 ft  risky   full flight speed into a reflection
30 ft+    safer   the reflection is no longer read as an onward flight path

A feeder suckered to the pane is therefore safer than one on a post ten feet out. The other rows are about escape and ambush: 10–12 ft to shrubs gives cover a bird can reach in one flight while leaving open ground to see a cat coming, and 5–6 ft of height suits most hanging feeders.

Keeping squirrels off the pole

Ten feet of clearance, in every direction. The chart's 10 ft figure is a horizontal jump; squirrels also climb, so a pole baffle does the other half of the job.
Ground feeding is a trade. The chart puts it in the open, away from dense cover, which costs the birds a quick escape route but removes the hiding place a cat would use.

These are general guidelines and the page names no source, though the near-or-far window rule matches long-standing published advice. Which birds visit and which predators are about vary by region and season, and local authorities sometimes ask for feeders to come down during a disease outbreak. Treat the numbers as starting points and check current local guidance.

Frequently asked questions

How far should a bird feeder be from a window?

Either within about 3 ft of the glass or more than 30 ft away. The 5 to 30 ft band is the one to avoid, because that is where a departing bird can reach full speed before it meets a reflection.

How far should a feeder be from trees and fences?

At least 10 ft from anything a squirrel can launch from, including a roof or a wall top, and 10 to 12 ft from shrubs the birds can escape into. Add a pole baffle for the climbing route.

How high should a bird feeder hang?

Around 5 to 6 ft for a hanging feeder, per this chart. That is also a comfortable height to unhook and clean.