Written by the Birdsville team. We’ve been helping Sydney bird owners set up their cages and aviaries at our Alexandria store since 1985.
Last updated: October 2026

Bird feeders are the bowls, cups and silos that hold seed, pellets, fresh food and water inside a cage or aviary. Birdsville has a huge range of bird feeders for sale in Sydney at 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, servicing the Eastern Suburbs and Inner South Sydney. We stock feeders for finches and budgies right up to cockatoos and macaws, including no-mess feeders and many styles we don’t list online.

Bird Feeders Key Takeaways

Every caged bird needs separate dishes for seed, pellets, fresh food and water.
Choose a feeder sized for your bird that is easy to remove and clean.
Stainless steel suits most parrots because it’s hard to chew and easy to disinfect.
Never hang food or water directly under a perch, where droppings will fall in.
Seed bowls can look full when they hold only empty husks, so check them every day.
Clean food and water dishes daily, and give them a full wash every week.
Hooded, silo and no-mess feeders cut down on seed scattered around the cage.
Birdsville stocks a big range of bird feeders in store, with a select range online through Petsville.

Bird Feeders Quick Facts

What they are: bowls, cups, silos and holders for food and water inside a cage or aviary
Common types: open and covered cups, coop cups, hooded no-mess cups, seed and water silos, fountain feeders, perch and dish combos, fruit spears and millet holders
Materials: plastic, acrylic, stainless steel, and natural wood with stainless steel dishes
Best for: every caged or aviary bird, from finches to large parrots
How many: at least one each for seed, pellets, fresh food and water
Cleaning: empty and refill daily, wash with a bird safe disinfectant weekly
Replace: when cracked, chewed through or rusty

Why Does the Right Bird Feeder Matter?

The right bird feeder matters because it keeps food clean, lets you see how much your bird is really eating, and stops seed and water going to waste.

A good feeder is easy for your bird to reach and easy for you to clean. A poor one gets fouled with droppings, tips over, or gets chewed apart by a strong beak.

Feeders also help you spot problems early. When your bird has separate bowls for seed and pellets, you can see straight away if it stops eating one of them. A change in appetite is often one of the first signs a bird is unwell.

What Types of Bird Feeders Are There?

The main types of bird feeders are open and covered cups, coop cups, hooded no-mess cups, seed and water silos, fountain feeders, and perch and dish combos.

Open, Covered and D Feeders

Simple plastic feeders that hook onto the cage bars. They’re light, cheap to replace and suit finches, canaries and budgies. Try the Plastic Open Feeder (https://petsville.com.au/products/avi-one-feeder-211-311-603-604-605-606), the Plastic Covered Feeder (https://petsville.com.au/products/avi-one-feeder-covered-420-448-450) or the Plastic D Feeder with Metal Holder (https://petsville.com.au/products/avione-plastic-d-feeder-with-metal-holder-small-2-pack).

Coop Cups

Deep, round cups held in place by a hook or clamp. They come in sizes from 280ml up to 2.5L, so they suit everything from small parrots to aviary flocks. Choose the Coop Cup with Hook Holder (https://petsville.com.au/products/avi-one-coop-cup-with-hook-holder-280ml) or the Coop Cup with Clamp Holder (https://petsville.com.au/products/avi-one-coop-cup-with-clamp-holder-280ml).

Easy-Detach Feeders

The Universal Easy-Detach Feeder (https://petsville.com.au/products/avi-one-universal-easy-detach-feeder-s) clips firmly onto the cage bars and lifts straight out for refilling and cleaning. It comes in 9.6cm and 12.7cm sizes.

Hooded No-Mess Feeders

No-mess feeders are one of the best ways to reduce seed mess around the cage. A hood or guard around the cup catches seed and husks before your bird can flick them out, so more food stays in the bowl and less ends up on your floor. The Clean Cup (https://petsville.com.au/products/jw-insight-feeder-clean-cup-small-10cm) is dishwasher safe and comes in a small size for finches, budgies and canaries, and a medium size for cockatiels, conures and lovebirds. In store, we carry a bigger range of no-mess feeders, including models for small to medium parrots and large parrots.

Seed and Water Silos

A silo holds a supply of seed or water in a sealed tube and releases a little at a time as your bird eats or drinks. This keeps food cleaner and cuts down on waste. See the Seed Silo (https://petsville.com.au/products/jw-insight-feeder-seed-silo-18cm) and the Water Silo (https://petsville.com.au/products/jw-insight-feeder-water-silo-18cm). Fountain feeders work the same way, with an inside mount (https://petsville.com.au/products/avione-jumbo-fountain-feeder-inside-mounting) or an outside mount (https://petsville.com.au/products/avione-jumbo-fountain-feeder-outside-mount) for refilling without opening the cage.

 

Perch and Dish Combos

The Natural Perch & Dish (https://petsville.com.au/products/cpa-wing-nut-perch-dish-small) pairs a natural wood perch with a stainless steel dish, so your bird can stand comfortably while it eats. It bolts to the cage with a wingnut and comes in 10cm, 12cm and 15cm dish sizes.

Fruit, Millet and Cuttlebone Holders

Holders keep fresh food and treats off the cage floor. Try the Assorted Fruit Spear (https://petsville.com.au/products/avi-one-fruit-spear-mixed-colour-green-and-red), a Millet Spray Holder (https://petsville.com.au/products/jw-insight-feeder-millet-spray-holder) or the Cuttlebone Holder (https://petsville.com.au/products/jw-insight-feeder-cuttlebone-holder).

Are Stainless Steel or Plastic Bird Feeders Better?

Stainless steel feeders are the better choice for most parrots, while plastic feeders are fine for small birds that don’t chew.

Stainless steel doesn’t rust, can’t be chewed apart and is easy to disinfect. Plastic and acrylic feeders are light and affordable, and they suit finches, canaries and budgies. Medium and large parrots will often chew plastic, so check it regularly.

Avoid old, rusty or galvanised metal dishes. Our Common Bird Illnesses page (https://birdsville.net.au/common-bird-illnesses/) explains how rusty cages and bowls are a common cause of metal poisoning in parrots, and The Unusual Pet Vets (https://www.unusualpetvets.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Heavy-Metal-Poisoning-in-Parrots.pdf) warn that zinc coated metal is a major cause of heavy metal poisoning.

Where Should You Put Bird Feeders in a Cage?

Put bird feeders where your bird can reach them easily from a perch, but never directly under another perch, where droppings will fall in.

Give your bird separate bowls for seed, pellets, fresh food and water. Many birds pick out their favourite seeds and leave pellets behind when the two are mixed. Separate bowls let you see exactly what is being eaten.

Keep water out of direct sun so it stays cool and doesn’t grow algae. Spreading bowls across different levels of the cage gives your bird a reason to move around.

For a young bird that’s still finding its feet, add an extra seed bowl and water bowl on the cage floor for the first few days. Once it’s climbing to the higher bowls on its own, the floor bowls can come out. Our New Parrot Care Guide (https://birdsville.net.au/pet-care-guides/how-to-care-for-parrots/) covers the rest of the cage setup.

 

How Do You Clean Bird Feeders?

Clean bird feeders by emptying and refilling them every day, and washing them with a bird safe disinfectant once a week.

RSPCA Australia (https://rspca.org.au/blog/2022/how-help-your-pet-bird-have-good-life) recommends cleaning and disinfecting food and water dishes daily. Droppings, soggy seed and old fruit can grow bacteria and mould quickly.

F10 Ready to Use (https://petsville.com.au/products/f10-500ml-ready-to-use) and Vetafarm Avicare (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-avicare-rtu-500ml) are both safe for cleaning bird dishes. Never use standard household disinfectants, which can be toxic to birds. Rinse and dry dishes before refilling.

Seed eaters crack each seed and drop the empty husk back in the bowl. Blow or tip the husks off every day, as a bowl that looks full may hold no real food at all.

 

 

How Does Sydney’s Weather Affect Bird Feeders?

Sydney’s hot, humid summers make water and fresh food spoil faster, so feeders need more attention from December to March.

On hot days, change water at least twice a day and keep water dishes out of the sun. Take out fresh fruit and vegetables within a few hours, before they start to go off. In wet weather, check outdoor aviary feeders for rain getting into the seed, as damp seed grows mould quickly. A covered feeder or silo helps keep seed dry.

A Tip From Our Staff

No-mess feeders are a great way to reduce seed mess. If you’re sweeping up seed around the cage every day, swapping an open bowl for a no-mess feeder is the first change we’d suggest.

What About Feeders for Wild Birds?

Birdsville’s feeders are made for pet birds in cages and aviaries, not for feeding wild birds in the garden.

BirdLife Australia (https://birdlife.org.au/a-guide-to-feeding-wild-birds-in-australia) does not encourage feeding wild birds. Its guide explains that dirty feeders can spread diseases such as beak and feather disease, and that bread and mince are unsuitable foods. In Western Australia, feeding native birds without a licence is illegal. If you’d like more birds in your garden, planting local native plants and offering clean water is a safer way to help them.

Bird Feeders Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best feeder for a pet bird?

The best feeder for a pet bird is one sized for the bird, easy to remove and clean, and hard to chew. Hooded or silo feeders suit small seed eaters like budgies and finches. Larger parrots do best with stainless steel bowls in a secure holder, as they can chew through plastic.

How often should you clean a bird’s food and water bowls?

Clean and refill food and water bowls every day. Droppings, husks and soggy food build up quickly and can grow bacteria and mould, especially in warm weather. Give every bowl a full wash with a bird safe disinfectant each week, and rinse it well before refilling.

Why does my bird’s seed bowl look full?

Seed eaters crack open each seed and drop the husk back into the bowl, so a bowl can look full when it holds mostly empty husks. Blow or tip the husks off every day and top up with fresh seed. A bird with no real seed left can go hungry quickly.

Where should food bowls go in a bird cage?

Place food and water bowls where your bird can reach them easily, but never directly under a perch, where droppings will fall in. Keep water out of direct sun. For young birds still finding their feet, add an extra seed and water bowl on the cage floor for the first few days.

Are stainless steel or plastic bird bowls better?

Stainless steel bowls are the better choice for most parrots. They’re hard to chew, don’t rust and are easy to disinfect. Plastic feeders are light and affordable and suit small birds like finches and budgies. Replace any bowl that is cracked, chewed or rusty, as rust can lead to metal poisoning.

How do I stop my bird throwing seed everywhere?

Seed scattering is normal, as birds flick out husks and dig for their favourite seeds. A no-mess feeder is the best fix, as its hood catches most of the seed before it leaves the cage. A seed silo also helps by releasing only a little at a time, and a cage tidy catches the rest.

Is it okay to feed wild birds?

BirdLife Australia does not encourage feeding wild birds, as dirty feeders can spread disease. If you do feed them, keep feeders spotless and never offer bread or mince. Our feeders at Birdsville are made for pet birds in cages and aviaries.

Where can I buy bird feeders in Sydney?

Birdsville at 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015 stocks a huge range of bird feeders, including no-mess feeders for large parrots and many styles not listed online. A select range is available through our online store, Petsville, which ships Australia wide. Call (02) 9669 1766 to check what’s in store.

 

Where Can I Buy Bird Feeders in Sydney?

The best way to see our full range of bird feeders is to visit Birdsville in store, at 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, servicing the Eastern Suburbs and Inner South Sydney.

We stock plastic, stainless steel and no-mess feeders, silos, coop cups and holders for every size of bird, plus round metal feeders and large no-mess feeders that aren’t listed online. Come in or call us on (02) 9669 1766, and see our Contact page (https://birdsville.net.au/contact-birdsville/) for opening hours and directions.

Can’t make it in? A select range is available through Petsville, our online store (https://petsville.com.au/collections/bird-feeding-accessories).

A good feeder deserves good food. Our Birdsville Blends Budgie Gourmet (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blends-budgie-500g) is hand blended in store from at least 19 natural ingredients, including seeds, grains, vegetables, fruit and herbs. It suits budgies, parrotlets, Bourke parrots, rosellas and other small parrots. See the full Birdsville Blends range (https://birdsville.net.au/birdsville-blends/) for a blend to suit your bird.

For more on feeding your bird, see our Seeds and Grains (https://birdsville.net.au/seeds-grains/), Best Bird Treats (https://birdsville.net.au/bird-treats-tips-and-sprouted-mix/) and Cage Tidies (https://birdsville.net.au/cage_tidies/cage-tidies/) pages. Setting up a cage? Our Bird Ladders page (https://birdsville.net.au/bird-ladders/) helps you pick the right climbing setup too.

For live updates on new stock, follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BirdsvilleRosebery/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/petsvillesydney/) and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@birdsvillepets).

About Birdsville

Birdsville has been at 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015 since 1985, specialising in birds and small animals. We’re a small, family owned business, but we do things in a big way. Nobody tells us what to stock or how to run our shop, so every product on our shelves is one we’ve chosen ourselves, and we only keep the best of the best.

Sources

Daily cleaning of food and water dishes: RSPCA Australia, How to help your pet bird have a good life
Heavy metal poisoning from zinc coated metal: The Unusual Pet Vets, Heavy Metal Poisoning in Parrots
Feeding wild birds in Australia: BirdLife Australia, A guide to feeding wild birds in Australia
Product sizes and details: Petsville product listings
Staff tip and seasonal advice: the Birdsville team