An issue with normal hanging tube feeders, is that ground feeding birds struggle to use them because they can’t easily cling to perches. It’s less of an issue with feeders which have round perches rather than straight, as species such as Robin can stand on these. However, Blackbirds can’t. A solution is a circular tray which fits to the base of the feeder, such as this Ring Pull Seed Tray. The seed tray for bird feeders then acts as an easy platform for ground-feeding birds to stand on, and therefore they can take food from the feeder ports or directly from the tray. The product also acts as a seed catcher for bird feeders, and also as a bird seed mess catcher. This means less seed and waste on the ground below the feeder, but it’s very important to note that waste should not be allowed to accumulate on the tray which must be regularly cleaned. This is because bacteria will form as the seed waste starts to decompose, with this potentially leading to Salmonella poisoning which is fatal to birds.