How to Hang Suet Feeder Cages: Height, Trees, Shade, and Windows

How to hang suet feeder cages well comes down to five choices: height, distance from anything a squirrel can jump from, how close to the trees your woodpeckers and nuthatches already use, shade, and windows. In short, hang the cage at least 5 feet off the ground, about 10 feet from trunks, fences, rails, and roof edges if squirrels visit, near enough to trees that clinging birds can fly in from cover, out of hot afternoon sun, and either within 3 feet of a window or more than 30 feet from it. Each figure below comes from a wildlife or extension source linked in the text, and where the sources disagree we say which reading we follow.

This guide covers where and how to hang a backyard suet feeder. It is not advice on caring for sick or injured birds; if you find one, including a bird stunned after hitting a window, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or your state wildlife agency.

How to Hang Suet Feeder Cages: The Checklist

Take this table out to the yard with a tape measure. Each row has its own section below.

How High to Hang a Suet Feeder

The Audubon Guide to Bird Feeding says to place suet in special feeders or net onion bags at least five feet above the ground to keep it out of the reach of dogs, squirrels, and other animals, and it recommends suet feeders well off the ground for woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees. The guide does not say which part of the feeder that measurement applies to, so we read it cautiously: measure to the bottom of the cage, or to the bottom of the tail prop if the feeder has one, because that is the part a dog or a jumping squirrel reaches first.

Height has a ceiling too, and it is you. Project FeederWatch advises cleaning seed and suet feeders every week or two, and more often during heavy use or wet weather. A cage you can lift off its hook while standing on the ground gets cleaned on schedule; one you need a ladder for usually does not. For most adults that puts the hook somewhere between the 5-foot minimum and arm’s reach, which is why a pole or a low, sturdy branch tends to work better for suet than a high limb.

Near the Trunk or Away From It?

This is the choice that makes suet different from seed. Nebraska Extension’s bulletin Selective Bird Feeding (EC1783) says suet is used mainly to attract birds that hunt insects along the tree trunk. Audubon’s field guide describes the White-breasted Nuthatch as foraging mainly on the trunk and larger limbs of trees, and the Downy Woodpecker as foraging on trunks, limbs, and even small twigs, often hanging upside down. FeederWatch goes as far as saying suet can be tied to trees or smeared into knotholes.

The same Nebraska bulletin pulls the other way. It says grackles, starlings, squirrels, and raccoons are very attracted to suet too, and that suet feeders need to be placed far enough from tree trunks and branches, or protected with a baffle, to deter squirrels. FeederWatch says squirrels can jump to feeders placed less than ten feet from a tree or building.

Where to hang suet feeder cages relative to the tree comes down to one question: do squirrels visit your yard?

• No squirrels, or you do not mind sharing. A cage strapped to the trunk, or a log or dead branch with suet pressed into holes, puts the food where clinging birds already forage. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service bird feeding sheet describes stuffing suet into carved holes in a wooden dowel or dead branch and hanging it.
• Squirrels in the yard. Keep the cage off the trunk and out of jumping range, then let the tree serve as cover nearby. FeederWatch calls a distance of about 10 feet from cover a good compromise, since cover with strong branches gives squirrels and cats a jump-off point, and Penn State Extension recommends feeders within 10 feet of protective cover. A cage 10 feet out from the trunk meets both.

Woodpeckers do not need the suet on bark to find it. Audubon’s Downy Woodpecker account says the species will eat suet at bird feeders, and Penn State’s feeder table lists both suet feeders and hanging feeders for downy and hairy woodpeckers. A cage hung in the open within sight of the tree line is a normal suet setup, not a compromise the birds will refuse.

What to Hang a Suet Feeder From

The cage itself only needs a hook or a wire; the real decision is what holds it. These are the common supports, from the most control over squirrels to the least.

A pole in the open, with a baffle below

Nebraska Extension says feeders located on poles allow the most control over unwanted species, and it suggests a pole at least 6 feet high and 8 feet from the nearest branch, deck rail, or fence. We use FeederWatch’s 10 feet for the gap, the more cautious of the two figures. A baffle goes on the pole directly below the feeder, sized and placed by the same rules as a baffle under a seed feeder. Many poles have an arm or two; hang the suet cage on its own arm rather than clipping it under a seed feeder, so the two do not knock together in the wind.

A tree branch, with a baffle above

When hanging a feeder from a tree, Nebraska Extension says to choose branches that keep it at least 6 feet above the ground and 6 feet away from the trunk and other branches, hang it with a hook or wire, and put a squirrel baffle above it. Treat 6 feet as the minimum and 10 feet as the target, for the FeederWatch reason above. The branch has to be strong as well as long: Nebraska warns that well-made caged feeders can be heavy when full and may not be good choices high up in trees or on lightweight poles. A limb that sags under the load also lets the feeder drop and swing closer to the trunk.

A wire or cable between two trees

FeederWatch suggests stringing a cable between two trees and suspending feeders above the reach of hungry animals, and, for squirrels that walk the line, slipping lengths of plastic tubing over it so they spin underfoot. Hang the cage near the middle of the span, where it is farthest from both trunks.

Deck rails, eaves, and shepherd’s hooks

These are the convenient spots, and they are convenient for squirrels too. Nebraska lists deck rails and fences among the platforms animals jump from, and a hook clamped to a rail puts the suet right beside one. A shepherd’s hook in an open bed is better, provided it is 10 feet from the nearest launch point and the cage still clears 5 feet. In a yard without squirrels, a rail-mounted hook is fine if it also meets the window distances below.

Hanging Upside-Down and Tail-Prop Feeders

Two suet feeder designs change how you hang them. FeederWatch says cages that are only accessible at the bottom tend to be starling-resistant but let woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees feed by clinging upside down, and Nebraska Extension says upside-down feeders, where the suet is exposed only from underneath, let clinging birds feed while excluding starlings and grackles. That design only works if the underside is open air, so hang it clear of any shelf, rail, or branch a starling could stand on while reaching up. If you bought one because of starlings, keeping starlings away takes food choices and cleanup as well as the cage itself.

A tail-prop feeder adds a board below the cage for large woodpeckers to brace against, which makes the whole unit longer. Measure the 5-foot height to the bottom of the board, and make sure the board hangs free rather than resting against a pole or trunk. The right suet feeder for a yard full of pileated woodpeckers is not the one for a yard of chickadees. The hanging rules on this page apply to both.

Shade, Heat, and Rain

Sun matters more for suet than for seed, because fat softens. FeederWatch warns that suet may turn rancid in hot weather if it has not been specially processed. Audubon’s 11 tips for feeding backyard birds goes further: provide suet during cool weather only, because it can turn rancid and dripping fat can damage the natural waterproofing on bird feathers. The Fish and Wildlife Service sheet also says suet is best used during winter months, since it can melt and turn rancid in warm weather.

The National Wildlife Federation takes a different line for summer: switch to all-weather suet so it will not melt or spoil, and place suet feeders in the shade. We follow the cautious reading. Treat suet as a cool-weather food, and if you keep a cage out into spring or fall warm spells, hang it where it is shaded through the afternoon, such as the north or east side of a tree line, and take the cake down when it turns soft, oily, or smells off. Whether to feed suet through summer at all is a choice between suet and seed, and most of the sources above lean toward seed once the heat sets in.

Rain is the other weather problem. A cage without a roof leaves the cake exposed, and FeederWatch’s advice to clean more often in wet weather applies. Do not solve it by tucking the cage under eaves or a low canopy: those are usually inside the 10-foot squirrel distance, so the feeder’s own roof, or more frequent checks after rain, does more than the location can.

Keep Suet Away From the Window Danger Zone

Suet often goes near the house so you can watch woodpeckers up close, which is how it ends up at the worst distance from the glass. The Audubon guide says to reduce the risk of collisions by placing feeders less than three feet from a window or more than 30 feet away. Penn State gives the reason for the close option: birds slow down to land at a feeder within three feet of a window and do not have enough speed to hit the glass with much impact when they take off. A suet cage on a bracket right beside the window frame meets the close rule; one on a hook at the edge of the patio, 10 or 15 feet from a glass door, sits in the middle zone that the Audubon rule excludes. These are the same distances that apply to placing any bird feeder, so a suet cage can share a well-placed seed feeder’s spot.

If the only practical spot faces a large window, treat the glass. FeederWatch recommends marking the outside of windows with repeating patterns, such as dots, and installing screens outside. The American Bird Conservancy says ideal pattern spacing follows the two-inch-by-two-inch rule and recommends applying products on the outside of the glass.

Before You Walk Away: Lid, Reach, and Night Visitors

• Close the lid properly. FeederWatch says to make sure a suet cage lid is secured so that no animal can get stuck inside. Check the latch or clip each time you refill, not only on the first day.
• Plan the cleaning trip. The every-week-or-two cleaning FeederWatch advises means taking the cage down, so leave a clear path to it. Taking the cage apart for scrubbing goes faster when it comes off its hook in one motion.
• Watch the first week. If the cake disappears overnight, a mammal is the likely visitor, since Nebraska lists raccoons among the animals drawn to suet. FeederWatch suggests taking feeders inside at dusk if your mammal visitors appear only at night.
• Give the birds time. The Audubon guide notes that it may take hours or weeks for birds to discover a new feeder, so a quiet first week does not mean the spot is wrong.

How We Put This Guide Together

This guide is based on research, not on feeders we hung ourselves. We read Project FeederWatch, the Audubon Guide to Bird Feeding and Audubon’s feeding tips and field guide accounts, Nebraska Extension, Penn State Extension, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Wildlife Federation, and the American Bird Conservancy, and kept only statements we could match to those pages. Where they differ, as on hanging suet near trunks and on suet in warm weather, we show both readings and follow the more cautious one. Our general standards are on the How We Review page.

Suet Feeder Hanging FAQ

How is hanging a suet feeder different from hanging a seed feeder?

Less than you might expect. The window distances, the 10-foot squirrel gap, and the baffle rules are the same. Three things differ: Audubon wants suet at least five feet up, suet birds such as nuthatches and woodpeckers forage on trunks, so a tree nearby matters more, and suet needs shade and a cool-weather season because it can melt and go rancid in heat.

Will woodpeckers come to a suet feeder that is not on a tree?

Yes. Audubon’s field guide says the Downy Woodpecker will eat suet at bird feeders, and Penn State’s feeder table lists suet feeders and hanging feeders for downy and hairy woodpeckers. A pole-mounted cage within about 10 feet of trees gives them cover to approach from.

Can a suet feeder hang on the same pole as a seed feeder?

Yes, if the pole is strong enough and the suet hangs on its own arm. The Audubon guide recommends offering different feeders at different levels to avoid crowding, with suet feeders well off the ground, and Nebraska warns that heavy caged feeders may not be good choices for lightweight poles. Keep the bottom of the suet cage at 5 feet or more and the baffle below the lowest feeder.

Should I bring a suet feeder in at night?

Only if something raids it after dark. Nebraska Extension says raccoons are very attracted to suet, and FeederWatch suggests taking feeders inside at dusk when mammal visitors appear only at night. If the cage is empty or on the ground in the morning, start bringing it in at dusk.

Final Thoughts

Hang suet at least 5 feet up, measured to the lowest part of the feeder. Keep it about 10 feet from anything a squirrel can launch from, with trees close enough to serve as cover. Give it afternoon shade when the weather warms, and keep it less than 3 feet or more than 30 feet from glass. Put it somewhere you can reach to clean every week or two. If squirrels never visit, the trunk itself is fair game. For more on feeders and setups, browse our Bird Feeders section.

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