The Squirrels Are Messing With the Bird Feeder Again
It'southward incredibly challenging to keep squirrels away from bird feeders!
I know this statement is obvious, merely whether you lot love 'em or hate 'em, at some indicate, almost every backyard birder has to deal with squirrels trying to stage a hostile takeover of their bird nutrient.
I like squirrels and want them in my lawn. I enjoy watching them, and they are as much a part of nature equally birds.
But…
I desire to see my squirrels ON THE Ground. Unfortunately, these ravenous rodents can quickly become a nuisance on bird feeders for many reasons, including their voracious ambition, feeder say-so, amazing able-bodied power, and power to chew through nigh anything!
Do you run across any squirrels on my feeders?
Below is a LIVE look at my bird feeding station. Nosotros have at least eight squirrels that commonly visit our backyard and periodically one of them can exist observed on my bird feeders. Unfortunately, I violate Tip #two below, and it'south relatively common to see a squirrel leap from the trees!
- *Learn more about my two Live bird cameras Here.*
Below, y'all volition learn EIGHT ways to go on squirrels off bird feeders!
Subsequently doing lots of research and experimenting at habitation, I have put together eight strategies that can help prevent and end the carnage that squirrels can wreak on your bird food supply.
And the all-time news?
None of the tips below hurt squirrels . I do not concur with or recommend whatsoever strategy that puts these small mammals in danger. As I said before, I desire to feed the squirrels, just not from my bird feeders. 🙂
- RELATED: The 10 Types of Squirrels That Live in the United States! (& Canada) Learn almost the squirrel species you run across and battle in your backyard! Range maps included. 🙂
Tip #1: Invest in a Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder Pole
By installing a quality squirrel-proof bird feeder pole, y'all tin eliminate near squirrel bug.
Information technology's pretty simple. If squirrels tin can't climb up to the bird feeders, then they are stuck eating the food that falls to the ground.
When it comes to squirrel-proof bird feeder poles, you have two options:
A. Purchase a pole that is manufactured to prevent squirrels.
For instance, I used to own the Squirrel Stopper Pole , and non one single critter Ever got by the attached spring-loaded bamboozle. (This yr I built a more than heavy-duty bird feeder pole due to the loftier number of bird feeders I was using. 🙂 )
A squirrel baffle is only a contraption that prevents squirrels (and other modest mammals) from climbing upwards your bird feeder pole. Check out the leap-loaded baffle on the Squirrel Stopper pole below:
Squirrel Stopper Pole Check Today's Price
Not simply is this pole nifty at preventing squirrels from climbing up, just it holds up to eight bird feeders and looks "classy" in my backyard.
- RELATED: The Best Bird Feeder Poles – Squirrel-Proof, Sturdy, & Stylish
B. Squirrel-proof your existing pole by attaching baffles.
If you similar your current bird feeder pole and want to keep it, but it wasn't designed to stop squirrels, I have cracking news!
Squirrel baffles can exist purchased separately (or made) and fastened to your existing pole.
In general, there are two different styles/shapes of bamboozle you will run across:
Torpedo Bamboozle Pictured In a higher place (Also referred to as Stovepipe or Cone) : Audubon Steel Squirrel Baffle
Wrap Around Baffle Pictured In a higher place: Woodlink Squirrel Baffle
Both of these baffles are designed to adhere below the bird feeder. Equally squirrels climb, they are not able to get around the baffle and therefore tin can't eat your bird nutrient!
*Squirrels tin spring vertically up to iv feet high! Make sure to attach a squirrel baffle loftier enough on the pole that they tin can't just spring over and on top of it.*
For everything yous need to know nearly squirrel baffles, bank check out this article:
- The BEST Squirrel Baffles For ANY State of affairs (xi Ideas!)
Tip #2: Place Your Bird Feeders Wisely
Did yous know that squirrels tin can jump as far as 10 feet horizontally?
Don't believe me?
Here is a video I created of the squirrels jumping onto my bird feeding station!
Unfortunately, my bird feeding station will never be 100% squirrel proof, and it'south because my feeders are too close to the copse you meet in the to a higher place video. Because of this fact, I accept to rely on the other strategies discussed in this post!
As you are deciding where to place bird feeders in your backyard, remember that they will be subject area to an aerial assault from squirrels!
To prevent squirrels from making the jump, find a suitable expanse that is at to the lowest degree 10 feet away from any trees, tree branches, houses, decks, power lines, or anything else that they can climb to use every bit a launchpad. My feeding station is simply about five feet abroad from the nearest trees, and the squirrels brand that leap easily!
It will probably be the about fun to place the feeders but a bit out of the squirrels' reach. By doing this, you become to discover them TRY to make the bound only miss, which provides some entertainment. 🙂
Tip #iii: Invest in a Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder
If you lot are not able to end squirrels from reaching your bird feeders, information technology may be time to turn your feeders into Fort Knox.
Luckily, there are bird feeders that permit birds to swallow but cutting off the food supply for squirrels. Some work great; some neglect miserably.
Here are the Three almost popular strategies used by squirrel-proof bird feeders:
A. Weight Sensitive:
Access to bird food is denied if there is too much weight on the perches of the feeder. Most birds are MUCH lighter than squirrels, and they can eat comfortably. Just when a squirrel jumps on, typically a door closes, and they are not able to eat the food!
For instance, hither is a brusque video of the weight-sensitive perches in action on my Absolute Ii hopper feeder :
Bank check Today'southward Price
B. Cages :
Audubon Squirrel-Proof Caged Tube Bird Feeder
Some feeders are surrounded past a metal cage to stop squirrels. The openings in the enclosure are large enough for small-scale birds to fly through but too tiny for squirrels to fit inside. Cages also work great to go on blackbirds off your feeders.
- RELATED: 3 Effective Ways To Get Rid of Starlings TODAY
C. Battery Powered Feeders That Spin :
These may be the nearly fun! When a squirrel climbs on the feeder, the motor kicks in to start spinning, which tosses them off!
For a list of my favorite squirrel-proof bird feeders with honest reviews, check out the following article:
-
The six Best Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeders (Finally Stop Wasting Your Food!)
Tip #4: Offering foods that squirrels don't like
At that place may be locations you want to place your feeders that are almost impossible to go on squirrels abroad from, such as on a deck, window, or nearly a tree.
In this example, it may exist necessary to exist very selective virtually the foods you lot are going to offer.
And here'southward the good news:
Squirrels don't eat everything!
Squirrels go crazy over nuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, corn, and fruit. They love these foods! Y'all can't blame them for trying to get to your feeders.
But can you lot believe there are a handful of foods that will attract lots of birds AND prevent squirrels at the same time?
Hither are iii foods you can use that squirrels don't like:
A. Safflower Seed :
Cardinals, chickadees, titmice, and many finches beloved this pocket-sized, white seed while squirrels don't. Blackbirds (starlings and grackles) also don't swallow safflower seeds, which makes me think this may be a miracle food!
- Related: Safflower Seed 101: Everything Y'all Demand To Know!
B. Nyjer Seed :
Goldfinches tin't get enough, just squirrels don't bother with this tiny seed.
C. White Proso Millet :
I think it's as well small for squirrels to mess with, only doves, juncos, and sparrows volition undoubtedly exist happy information technology'south available.
Tip #5: Proceed Squirrels Away With Hot Peppers!
When I beginning learned about the strategy of stopping squirrels with hot peppers, it sounded strange to me but fabricated a lot of sense once I learned more.
Accept you always eaten a hot pepper? If so, yous know that it can make your mouth a scrap uncomfortable.
The " oestrus " that you feel in your mouth after eating a hot pepper is caused by a compound chosen capsaicin . The reason we experience pain, discomfort, and burning after eating hot peppers is that capsaicin messes with specific nerve endings in our mouths.
Hither is the exciting function:
Only mammals, like squirrels, are afflicted by capsaicin!
Birds can eat capsaicin all day long and feel no sick effects.
And then to take advantage, many bird foods add together capsaicin as a powder glaze, liquid coat, or every bit part of a suet mix to stop squirrels from eating.
Time and fourth dimension again, information technology has been shown that having capsaicin-treated bird food is ane of the best squirrel repellants you can use. All it takes is one smell or taste, and they volition offset looking elsewhere. 🙂
But is it safe to feed birds capsaicin ?
Products that contain capsaicin have been on the market for a long time now. There are no reports of any birders or ornithologists that accept spoken to the adverse health consequences for birds.
Here is the capsaicin bird nutrient that I take used before with great success:
Cole's Hot Meats Sunflower Seed View Price - Amazon
Tip #half-dozen: Feed squirrels at a separate feeder
This tip runs counter to virtually everything else on this listing.
To prevent and deter squirrels from accessing and eating all of your food and scaring away birds, attempt feeding them at a divide feeder only for them!
For instance, underneath my bird feeders, I have a tray that is always filled with sunflower seeds simply for the squirrels!
Woodlink Tray Feeder: View Cost - Amazon
Past providing an unlimited supply of food for squirrels in a separate feeder, you are hoping they won't even bother going through all the extra piece of work to accomplish your bird feeders.
This tip works well as a squirrel deterrent. I use this same strategy to help control House Sparrows besides!
- RELATED: half dozen Proven Tips to STOP House Sparrows From Taking Over Your Feeders
Make sure the feeder is in an like shooting fish in a barrel spot for the squirrels to find and fill it with inexpensive nutrient they dear, like corn and sunflower seeds.
Tip #7: Have Fun With Your Squirrels!
Nosotros take already established that squirrels volition do most anything to reach bird nutrient, and they are incredibly determined and acrobatic.
Knowing this, attempt having some fun and make them piece of work hard for their meal!
There are numerous squirrel feeders designed with human entertainment in mind. One of my favorites is a large bike that features cobs of corn on the ends. If the squirrels don't balance themselves right, the wheel starts to spin around. The squirrels eventually get to eat, but it's not piece of cake!
Here is a spinning squirrel feeder in action:
Woodlink Squirrel-Go-Round Feeder View $ on Amazon
Tip #8: Don't Injure Squirrels!
Unfortunately, out of frustration, many people have come upwardly with means to proceed squirrels off their bird feeders that injure or even impale them.
I don't agree with these methods.
In that location are besides many effective strategies that work as squirrel deterrents AND keep squirrels safe. Remember that squirrels are just trying to survive themselves and doing what comes naturally to them!
And then my final recommendation is to avoid anything that volition hurt squirrels. I know these pesky rodents can be overwhelming, but delight resist whatsoever temptations to eliminate them permanently.
Try to capeesh squirrels as function of nature and remember they are merely trying to survive like the birds that visit your feeders!
Here are some things to avoid:
Toxicant :
Not only volition you be sentencing the squirrels to a painful death, but what if your dog accidentally ingests some?
- RELATED: v Reasons Why You Should NEVER Use Rat Poison!
Glue or anything else sticky on your bird feeder pole :
It non only has to be incredibly painful to have their fur ripped out, but information technology'southward almost impossible for squirrels to remove the glue. They may also ingest some as they attempt to groom themselves.
Petroleum jelly or grease on your bird feeder pole :
Similar to gum, this is incredibly difficult for squirrels to get off their glaze. They might ingest some and become ill, or their fur volition clump together, leaving them susceptible to common cold weather.
Shooting :
There is nothing you can shoot at a squirrel that will non injure it, except a photographic camera.
Letting your cat outside to kill the squirrels :
Cats LOVE to casualty on and impale birds. If you lot want to run across more birds at your feeder and fewer squirrels, do yous think letting your true cat outside is a great idea?
Killing the squirrels in your backyard is a classic example of treating the symptom and non the problem. Squirrels breed speedily, then y'all can always expect more to make it. Using a combination of the tips above will work much better every bit long-term solutions to your squirrel problems than murder.
Conclusion:
By utilizing some of the tips listed above, it is entirely possible to repel, deter, and keep squirrels off your feeders and finish them from eating all of your bird food!
I have had the best luck by combing tips #three, #iv, and #v together.
Most importantly, try to learn to appreciate squirrels and enjoy the challenges they provide.
Who knows, one time you lot get the squirrels under command and off your bird feeders, you may finish upwards enjoying their crazy antics. And simply so y'all know, The Squirrel Lover'south Order is ever looking for new members!
Before you go, I want your aid to brand this article fifty-fifty ameliorate. Can yous help answer some of these questions in the comments below?
How do yous terminate squirrels from getting onto your bird feeders?
What are the all-time ways yous take found to deter and repel squirrels?
Thanks for reading, and good luck!
Scott
Source: https://birdwatchinghq.com/squirrels-off-bird-feeders/
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