Customer Reviews

Birding Company 78621 Songview In-House Window Feeder

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have had several of this type of bird feeder and I am hooked. It is the best way to actually invite wild birds into your own room. It fits into your window like a window air conditioner. The insulation helps cut down on leaks, but does not keep out the cold quite as well as a closed, double hung window. I have this particular model in one of my home windows and a similar item in a window in my office.

The feeder works like a one-way mirror so that you can see the birds but they cannot see you unless you put your nose up to the viewing area. When you first install the feeder, it takes the birds a while to find it. The cats initially tried to jump at the birds, but quickly learned that they could not reach them. Now the cats see the feeder as the "cable bird channel." We get lots of birds year round, but traffic is particularly brisk when it snows. Since the birds are in your room, you can hear them and you may come to recognize specific repeat customers. We keep a bird identification book by the feeder in our son's room.

This particular model is more dificult to install than the advertizements would suggest. However, we did manage get it in. The depth of the seed area could be larger to accomadate more birds at the same time. On the other hand, the top filling feature is better than larger feeders with side slide filling openings. In-window feeders with side filling openings are larger but tend to get seeds stuck in them. I prefer to use this type of feeder in second floor windows unless you put in a barrier to prevent squirrels and cats from getting in from the outside.

I have had similar products years ago, and this one is a very pretty design. However, it was a NIGHTMARE to install, the company that _makes_ the product assured me they had no one who knew how to install it. The directions have NO diagrams or photos, just not very clear written instructions. I have modern vinyl windows and I called in advance to find out whether this would be a problem and was assured not. However, it means that the window cannot be closed with the feeder in it (which appears to be a major design goal for some reason). As a result, there are 2 extra holes in the bottom of the feeder that allow bird seed to pour into the house and onto the floor unless you block them up. (These are presumably blocked when you close the window (this is what I meant by poorly designed, but how often would you close the window when the feeder is in it -- kind of a nasty trick to play on the birds...) There is an option to use screws or sticky tape, but the small screws for the side tracks don't even fit into the tracks (and you need an elf-sized tiny phillips head screwdriver if they did). The side panels that you cut to size break off (with narrow windows, I needed narrow side panels and each strip broke off into 4 or more pieces before I could get it down the channel. In the end, I used crazy glue, packing peanuts and other materials to block the considerable spaces all around the feeder to minimize insects and cold and bird seed dribbling into my living room. I was relieved to finally get it in the window -- now I just pray it will stay there and not fall out! (Also, the first one I received had the one-way mirror reversed, so the birds could see in and I couldn't see anything but my reflection... the makers of the feeder sent another one which had this fixed. Apparently a number of them had this reversed mirror problem...)... a month later I heard a huge crash and came to find the feeder had fallen out of the window onto the living room floor scattering bird seed EVERYWHERE(!!). What a waste of money. Does NOT work with vinyl windows regardless of what the company says!

My daughter bought this for me for Christmas two years ago.......I just love it. I have this in the window beside my computer and I so enjoy seeing all the feathered friends.........we take it out in the summer as we need the fresh air coming in, but the minute the fall is here, in it goes again.......I will admit that you will feel the cold more, than if you have the windows shut, but i put alot of foam weatherstripping in front of them, and duct tape every spot where air might come in......It is one of my favorite gifts ...it is right up there with my heated birdbath.............

My sister and brother have one of these, and they are very entertaining to watch. I ordered one, but have to find a window I can use it in. We replaced our windows and the lip of the new window interfers with the birdfeeder.

Product was as promised - brand new, fairly priced and offered lowest shipping cost. Arrived quickly and in new condition.