The first suggestion is to slightly moisten the cups. If you have already tried moistening the suction cups, we have a few other tips.

• Make sure the window surface is clean. If there's a smoky film on the glass, use a window cleaner to remove the film.
• Examine the edges of the suction cups to see if they are ragged. If they are, you may be able to use petroleum jelly to smooth out the edges.

If you are still having trouble, we recommend buying replacement suction cups.

No. Pine Siskins, Redpolls, Mourning Doves, Juncos, Towhees, and Cowbirds are all attracted to thistle seed.

Believe it or not, they will be able to feed. The Niger/Thistle feeder is specially designed to only attract birds that will feed from thistle.

• Black-oil sunflower seed is the most popular bird seed. It is much smaller than the traditional sunflower seed. It is best for those birds with smaller bills, such as the sparrow, junco and goldfinch. It is accepted by the greatest variety of birds.
• Mixed Seed is also popular. It is best to buy mixes that contain white proso millet, finely cracked corn, and black-oil sunflower seed.
• Niger (thistle seed) is imported from Africa and Asia. Niger won't germinate; however, it tends to become moldy due to lack of air circulation. If you notice mold on the seed, it must be removed from the feeder and the feeder must be cleaned thoroughly.

You will need to sterilize your seed to prevent it from germinating. This will not alter the attractiveness or the nutritional value of the seed in any way. Here are two methods:

1. Conventional Oven: Place the seed on a baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes at 300°F.
2. Microwave Oven: Place seed in a paper bag. Cook on high power for 5 minutes.

Mold is caused by heavy rain, driving sleet, or snow plugging the feeding ports and allowing water to dampen the seed. Always clean, dry and refill your feeders after heavy weather.

Be sure to clean your feeder regularly, at least every two weeks, using a solution of warm water and soap.

It is recommended that you clean your seed bird feeder every two weeks.

1. Discard all the old seeds from the feeder.
2. Soak the feeder in warm, soapy water.
3. Scrub the feeder and allow it to air dry completely.
4. Rake and remove accumulated hulls and droppings from underneath the feeders.
5. Spread mulch (bark or wood) under the feeder, replace mulch when soiled.
6. Thoroughly wash hands after handling and cleaning feeders.

After all the babies have left the nest, you can clean the bird house. Dirty bird houses can harbor bacteria, parasites, and other things that can be harmful to bird health. To clean your bird house, follow these steps:

1. Remove all old nesting material and scrape out all debris.
2. Thoroughly scrub the house with a mild bleach solution (one part bleach to nine parts water). Rinse the house well to remove all traces of bleach.
3. Place it in the sun and allow the house to dry completely.
4. Also clean the post or hanging hook to remove any pests or bacteria.