Painting Bird Feeders

I recently painted my bird feeder bright yellow, and after I hung it up again, the birds wouldn't eat from it. Now they only eat the seeds if I place them on the ground. Did I make a mistake by painting it?

—Pauline Scott, Arlington, Texas

George: The vivid color could be the problem, or perhaps the shine of the paint creates a reflection that scares the birds away. It's best to paint or stain bird feeders an earth-tone color. Try a brown, tan or green that has a matte finish.