Hopper & Tray Feeders
Most feeder stations have at least one “workhorse” feeder. Quite often that feeder is a hopper feeder. This design of a feeder can vary widely in design. From a simple open tray to a cover tray to a hopper feeder with some degree of seed storage, these feeders are great because they do not exclude any birds. These are often the only types of feeders that larger birds like Blue Jays, Mourning Dove and Northern Cardinals can feed at with relative ease. I think birds feel safer at these feeders because of the open viewing of their surroundings. Most hopper and trays can be hung from a tree limb or shepherd’s hook, attached to deck railings, sit atop a pole or post or even used as a ground tray by attaching four legs.
Open Trays
They are as simple as they sound. Open trays are a surface with some degree of drainage that you can spread a good amount of seed onto. The negative is that they provide no protection from the elements and they have to be refilled quite often.
Flythrough Feeders
These are basically a tray with a roof. Depending on the size of the roof, these feeders provide some protection from the elements but hold a limited amount of seed. They have the same flexibility as an Open Tray when it comes to presentation.
Hopper Feeders
When you mention the words “Bird Feeder” to someone, I would think the image of a hopper feeder is what they envision. Hopper feeders are basically a tray feeder with some type of seed storage capability. Hopper feeders like most feeders can vary greatly in size and design. They provide an easy-to-fill, self-dispensing reserve of seed so you do not have to refill it as often and the seed is kept reasonably well protected from snow and rain. A good design has a larger feeding surface area for more birds and it should be easy to clean. Removable screen floors are the best for this.