Bird House vs Bird Feeder
Where people can't tell the difference between a bird house and bird feeder is in the design, so once you know how to tell them apart, it all falls into place.
Bird Houses are designed for birds to nest in or roost out of season. Feeders can appear similar to bird houses if built in wood, but are designed to mostly hold seeds or peanuts. Any mix up is the way they are built with an angled roof, but remember a bird house uses an entrance hole, whereas a feeder does not.
To encourage backyard birds who use wooden bird houses, you'd fix a box intended for that purpose, up to 2 to 3 metres up on a wall or tree.
Feeders, which can appear to be bird houses only when built in wood, are design to hold wild bird feed, but are usually made to be hung, within reach of people on the ground.
Feeders made in wood are commonly confused with wooden bird houses.
Houses are enclosed wooden bird boxes that use an entrance hole as the only means for birds to enter and exit. Whereby bird feeders are not designed to be accessed, but rather allow feed to be accessible like a silo, as feed drops out near the bottom.
Hanging bird feeders made in wood can be very much like a bird house on two sides, but at least the designated access point for feed would then show what it actually is.
Feeders would make use of a mesh or clear window for feed to be seen, but only accessed via the bottom.
Bird houses designed similar to bird feeders
Its no secret, bird feeders can absolutely be made to look like bird houses, but never the other way around.
Bird feeders can be made to be large, wide hopper-style hanging feeders or one that is more square, but long.
Feeders designed as such are muddled up with what you thought you knew, but in fact can be confusing if feed is not visible on the outside
As a rule of thumb then, bird feeders that appear to be bird houses would use a metal mesh cage to hold peanuts - or have a clear plastic window to hold seeds.
Bird houses designed similar to bird feeders can only be made in wood; never is it possible to confuse a metal or plastic feeder with a bird house - that are mostly made in wood only.
Mix up limited to wooden options
Only time a bird house can be mistaken for a bird feeder are those that are made in wood - as both can be constructed to appear like a house - with angled roof an all.
Bird houses made in wood can be built very differently, depending the wild bird species they are intended to attract to nest or roost in.
Made in wood bird feeders though are always built with an open gap in the middle, but if not its constructed using a metal mesh or a clear plastic window.
Bird feeders can be made with an angled roof that is also constructed on wooden bird houses - so the similarity can be mixed up right there.
Houses have an entrance hole
To see a bird house or bird feeder hung or fixed to a tree or wall, one noticeable difference between the two is of course the much needed entrance hole on the house.
Bird feeders are not made to appear like a bird house at all; in fact they are just made to be like a real house with roof built on top.
Bird houses make use of the rounded entrance hole, in a size depending on what backyard bird species the bird house is intended for.
Regrettably, it can still be possible to not know if its a bird house or bird feeder as some - mostly feeders - are designed with a large open cavity where food is stored, but where birds can enter to pick up seeds or nut.
And of course Bluebird bird house made in wood or never recommended ceramic, are made in very much the same way.
Feeders are enclosed spaces
To know its a bird feeder and not a bird house in many cases is that feeders are an enclosed wooden box, designed not to be accessed by birds.
Accessibility to the bird feed only is located at the bottom, where the feeder acts as a sort of silo - dropping the food to the bottom only.
Whereas bird houses only access point is the entrance hole or large open front.
Bird feeders cannot be made accessible to birds as they will take more feed then what was intended - or by allowing access to the interior will open the feed to the elements.
Bird houses can be opened by the roof or are secured be a side-panel.
Feeders on the otherhand can only be opened via the roof, as the lower sides need to remain in place to avoid feed spilling onto the ground.
Confusion with hanging or fixed
I can almost guarantee if you believe what is a bird house which is hanging, I can say its very rare to see a bird house hang in the US, other than for decorative purposes.
More common area to fix a wooden bird house is up high on a brick wall or tree trunk.
On another point, if the bird house is high up and out of reach, then its purposes is for birds to nest or roost in - so is not a feeder.
If its lower to the ground then its made accessible to the person responsible for cleaning and replenishing, its therefore going to be a bird feeder.
Rarely would you see a hanging bird house but when you do, you should know it to be one for practical purposes.
Only in the US do we mostly use hanging bird feeders of any kind, including those that can appear to be bird houses.
Conclusion
Bird houses intended for nesting or roosting backyard birds in the US, or Canada, are mostly enclosed wooden boxes with an entrance hole only.
To be a bird feeder that is comparable to a bird house, is in the mix up in design as a feeder can be constructed very much the same.
Bird houses and bird feeders are made in wood only, as its only the timber build that can confuse you - whereas bird houses are rarely made in anything but.
Rule of thumb is bird houses are enclosed boxes with an entrance hole.
Feeders are also enclosed wooden boxes but its usually built with a mesh to hold nuts or clear plastic window to suspend seeds.
In the US, bird houses are commonly hung up in the yard so if it is, it just may be a feeder.
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