Gazebo Bird Feeders – Recalling a Simpler Time

There's a wide variety of decorative bird feeders available, but it seems the most popular type is the gazebo bird feeder. Here's a look at the history of gazebos, and their popularity in the US.

With over 50 million people engaged in some form of bird watching or other birding activities in the US, it is one of the more common pastimes of the day. With that many folks involved, we sometimes like to add our own unique stamp to our participation in birding.

Putting a bird feeder in the yard is one of the simplest things we can do, and it requires little effort to maintain. But the real fun is in finding a bird feeder or birdhouse that captures the spirit of the homeowner, and yet is functional as well. Fortunately, there is no shortage of decorative bird feeders to choose from.

So, what is a gazebo. It's usually a free standing structure, with regularly spaced sides, typically it's shaped as an octagon. It has a roof, sometimes ornately shaped, that protects the underside from the elements, and has sides that are either open or screened or glass, with the goal to be outside but not suffering the extremes of the afternoon sun or any passing showers.

The history of gazebos actually stretches back for centuries. In the US, our founding fathers including Washington and Jefferson had gazebos on their properties, which helps account for the popularity of gazebo feeders. Large gazebos were historically used as bandstands and were a featured element of the city park. Gazebos have been around for decades in India and Persia as well.

It's probably the romantic appeal of a lazy evening spent in a gazebo or listening to a band in the park that drives the popularity of these feeders. You can find them in a range of sizes, some that can be hung and others that are more appropriate for mounting on a post. Some are completely open so the birds can fly through, while others use the glass sides as the seed container. Some of the more inexpensive ones are simple metal units, while others have simulated wood shake roofs with white bannisters.

These feeders can attract a number of different bird species. With the appropriate seed you can attract finches, titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and more.