How to hang bird feeder from eaves

What is so remarkable about house eaves it is can provide multiple ways to hang bird feeders which will keep them out of reach of nuisance pests on the ground.

How to hang bird feeders from the eaves is to first rely on exposed wooden rafters, where the feeder wire or rope can simply be hung over. If soffit encloses the rafters as it does for most of us, then utilize soffit clips to wedge anywhere between the panel, to create a hook for hanging bird feeders or baskets.

What I must first bring up is how bird feeders are hung off what can be anything from a bird feeder pole to a tree branch.

You know how it us, the bird feeder made for suet, peanuts or seeds - plus your regular nectar-filled hummingbird or oriole feeder - will utilize a metal ring only, or it will have a length of wire or a chain to hang off the object you intend to use.

Well, bear in mind when hanging bird feeders under the eaves it can result in the default length of wire or rope to hang coming up too short - whereby the bird feeder can't hang properly hang or is unlikely to be able to hang at all.

Quick fix can be an additional length of wire or rope used to tie around the rafter for example, so you can hang the bird feeder at an height that is suitable to you.

Make it so the bird feeder of any kind can be unhooked from a precarious position, as you will need access to change the bird feeder food often along with a frequent clean.

Hanging bird feeders under the eaves is a great alternative when you lack the area to hang bird feeders in the yard; example of that is no tree to hang feeders while saving on additional expense by refusing to buy a bird feeding station pole.

Birds will respond positively to an eave location for feeders if they remain visible to visiting birds, plus the eaves are in a sunlit area as birds like to feed in the sun.

All kinds of animals including the neighborhood cats can cause issues on bird feeders, thus an eave location is going to resolve that issue before it begins.

Endless eave possibilities

Ultimately it will come down to the architecture under your roof overhang, but in all most of us can expect multiple ways to hang a bird feeder from the eaves.

Some kind of overhang on a roof section does exist on 99% of homes, thus its just a matter of finding a safe yet visible to passing birds location. Where you hang the bird feeder off the eave can include the soffit, rafters or even the guttering.

While I would avoid using any kind of wall studs or indeed drilling directly into the brickwork, in fear of spoiling the appearance of my home.

What the overhang will provide you is a way to keep all nuisance animals off your bird feeder, including the relentless squirrels who will continue to attack feeders based on the ground - or at least elevated a little way up.

No way can a minimum first floor location be accessible to animals that are attracted to the bird feeders you hang in our yard, which are commonly hung on a bird feeder pole.

Your eave location will provide you endless possibilities along with multiple ways to hang different kinds of bird feeder.

I only ask you to remain mindful of a too high up location being out of range of certain bird species, whereas a hummingbird feeder will see positive results while hung up in the soffit, or a similar high up position.

Let's begin breaking down the position under the eaves where all kinds of feeders can be hung - though I ask you to favor a sun lit area along with an accessible location for you and your visiting birds to access unrestricted.

It has to be said while most birds can feed higher up under eaves, a hummingbird feeder can be hung here with great success.

Find space of exposed rafter

While it applies to less then more of you, any exposed rafter frames in particularly will provide you a way to hang bird feeders up in your eaves.

Exposed because an enclosed rafter that is hidden under wooden panels or PVC soffit boards will cover up nooks to hang your feeder on.

Rafters are basically the ends of the long wooden beams that protrude outside under the roof, all while keeping your roof secure.

Despite the rafter being flush against the underside of the roof overhang, I believe there's always an opportunity to find a gap you can thread the wire, rope or chain you use to hang the feeder on.

At an astute angle, the rafter pointing downwards could result in the feeders slowly slipping down unless secured on its hung position. I will then ask you to fashion additional rope or screw in a piece of wood to prevent a mishap happening.

Rafters can be on the larger side which can make it difficult when getting the wire or rope wrapped around.

In that case you'd need to rely on an extended length of steel wire or rope to get over the wide rafter - plus allowing the bird feeder to hang freely below.

Under cover of soffit

Now we're getting to the place where hanging bird feeders from eaves is getting a little more familiar.

Soffits is the section under the roof overhang of which multiple short planks of wood or PVC paneling covers the area where rafters usually lay.

A soffit feature protects your home from the elements while creating a border between potential wild birds or other animals nesting as they access your attic interior.

What is so cool about hanging your bird feeder on the soffit, is the panels that lay side by side in some builds will only need a simple device called a soffit clip. Soffit clips - and therefore a small compact hanger - can be pinched in-between the soffit panels with no drilling, no screws required.

Soffit panels are made in such a way they clip on to the natural nook available between each soffit panel length, which is where the soffit clip is clipped on.

With some kind of hanger on the opposite side, which is exposed on the outside, now you can hang anything from bird feeders to flower pots under your eaves.

If you believe the soffit paneling I've outlined doesn't apply to you, simply rely on a screw with a hook on the end, or a facing down bracket to actually drill into what would probably be a wooden panel acting as the soffit.

Hang on gutter bracket

I know I know, not quite the eaves but the guttering can be a delightful bonus when to comes to finding ways to hang bird feeders from your eaves.

I can say it it safe to hang bird feeders on guttering providing its in quality condition, whereas old guttering can get a little on the brittle side.

How to hang bird feeders from your gutter would rely on only the bracket that is used to mount the gutter to end of the roof overhang, to the fascia of which the brackets must be screwed on to.

Brackets are usually made in metal along with multiple screws to secure them to the fascia, which is the long length of paneling, made in wood or PVC.

Perfect then because the fascia will provide you a solid way to hang even the heaviest bird feeders on an object that is super secure.

Many gutter brackets will be used to secure your guttering on the roof, thus pick your spot that makes sense to hang bird feeders.

You can hang feeders directly over lengths of guttering if its made in metal, though be careful when you intend to hang bird feeders anywhere across the entire plastic gutter. Prioritize the brackets but also the joints or the end of the gutter to be safe.

Low under porch eave

That brings me to the end of your how to hang bird feeders from the eaves' opportunities, though it doesn't necessary have to end there.

Eaves under a roof overhang can actually be lower down to the ground than you thought.

That is with the possibility of hanging bird feeders under the eaves of the porch roof, window or door canopies.

I'll admit, it will probably be limited to hanging bird feeders under the window roof, as a door canopy placement will block off access to the entrance.

Bonus of a window roof or canopy though is its a great way to hang bird feeders outside of your window - even if an additional length of wire is needed - to bring the bird feeder down to the ideal height off the ground.

Like a normal first floor roof overhang, these lower down to the ground, porch, door or window roofs could allow use of one or more of the rafter, an enclosed rafter or just the soffit if made available.

Guttering is unlikely to exist but it won't be needed with the window or door roof as this placement provides a more accessible hanging point.

While I'd use such a low down position up to 8 feet off the ground to hang bird feeder is because its accessible, yet to deter stray cats on bird feeders for example I would continue to use the proper roof overhang section higher off the ground.

Its possible however the first floor roof overhang can be missed by wild birds when utilizing regular bird feeders. Because common bird feeder songbirds tend to feed on feeders that are positioned on the lawn, and therefore within sight.

Hanging bird feeders too high can be missed for sure thus its vital to bring the feeders back down to a normal height.

And that is where utilizing the ground floor porch, window or door roof to hang feeders comes in useful, as its within range of most wild birds foraging height.

Bird feeders tend to be hung anywhere between 4 to 6 feet off the ground, thus if its possible to hang any bird feeder approximately 4-6 feet in your yard - then you shouldn't have any difficulties depending on just a window or porch roof.

Summarize

With no single way to hang bird feeders under the eaves it can depend on your house architecture, which will come down to covered or exposed rafters.

How to hang a bird feeder of any kind under the eaves would rely on an extended length of wire or rope that will wrap around the rafter. Create a hoop with an additional hanger hung off it - then this device will become universal with all types of bird feeder hangers or hooks for hanging.

Exposed rafters protruding out under the roof overhang will make it easy for some, though there's still plenty of opportunities to hang your bird feeder on the eaves.

Covered up rafters and therefore access to your attic interior will be protected by panels known as the soffit section.

Soffits are a positive thing mind as they are a wooden - and therefore a painted flat surface - or individual paneling that are secured side by side.

Why that matters is because now you can buy what is called a soffit clip that will insert anywhere in between the soffit panels, which a bird feeder can be hung off. Better than that, soffit clips are made for this exact reason, with an opportunity to also hang flower pots if you like.

No screws, no drilling required, but it will be needed if your roof overhang is sealed with sheet wood like plywood to act as one soffit panel.

You'd then have to use a screw with a hook on the opposite end to hang feeders on, or why no mount a bracket pointing to the ground to hang bird feeders off that.

Remember all these techniques apply to first or even second ground floor eaves, with the chance to hang bird feeders under the eaves of the more accessible ground floor porch roof or window overhang.

When all else fails you can simply hang even the heaviest of bird feeders on the brackets that are used to secure guttering along the length of the roof.

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