I like this type of suet feeder in winter, especially after I have weaned the sparrows off of general bird food and they have moved on to other sites. However, the big birds can still eat at the short sides of the suet cakes that are closest to the bird cage fencing. So, I leave my suet cakes in the plastic square containers they come in and shove them into the openings as is. Now the blackbirds and blue jays can't get through the plastic to the side of the suet. At best, the big birds eat the "crumbs" that are closest to the fencing. If you don't use cakes that come in containers, then just buy two and put your favorite suet into the empty containers over and over again.

Worth the $$$ ! At last, a sanctuary for the smaller song birds. No worries about their figuring out how to get the suet...21 minutes and the first one was intrepid enough to pop through the wire cage. 24 hours later, 6 or 7 were aboard all at once, whether for a convention or family reunion, they were having a ball. Definitely the yard's new gathering spot. Constantly occupied.

After having 2 suet feeders fail miserably with grackles (seriously, the grackles figured it out before the Downeys, and don't believe the hype- they can and will hang upside down. Don't waste your money on an upside down feeder)I finally decided to try this one. I was a bit put off by the price but decided it was the only suet feeder I saw that even looked like it could stop the grackles and the starlings that were probably going to eventually show up. The past few months have been a huge success, I'm glad to say! The chickadees started going inside rather quickly, and shortly thereafter a female downey started checking it out. Now I regularly see 2 Downeys, and occasionally a nuthatch in addition the the chickadee flock. One day ,a flock of grackles (there must have been at least 10) decided to try it. I'm so pleased that they only succeeded in hanging on the outside while it spun around and fighting each other. I didn't see any of them actually get a bite.

We've used this feeder for several years and will be buying another one this month. It will keep the Starlings out...except for a couple of small determined ones. I once saw one young Starling squeeze its way thru the bars but after I scared him off he didn't return again. Flickers are able to get their heads thru the openings and with their long beak they can reach the suet, but this is a good thing! Jays may also be able to reach some of the suet, but I don't mind feeding the Jays since they often can't find enough food for their babies when we've have a cool wet spring. Unlike the previous rating, my small woodpeckers have no problem using the feeder, along with the Cickadees, Nuthatches, etc. Yes, it took a few days for the small birds to be comfortable going inside the caged area but I think the location of the feeder and how safe the birds feel is a big factor in how well it is accepted.

These suet feeders are very well made and are very attractive. I have trouble with starlings periodically devouring suet, so I was eager to try them. The feeders may have a diameter that is a little too wide. I found, after trying for several months, that the Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers were not willing to try to eat suet from these feeders. Duncraft was very helpful in terms of a return and problem solving other solutions.