Feb
07

Squirrel Proofing Your Feeders!

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Categories: Uncategorized

Squirrel at birdfeeder1 Squirrel Proofing Your Feeders!If you’re like me, you find a ton of joy in watching birds gather at your feeders. In the summer, it’s the hummingbirds. I love watching their territorial nature and the dive-bombing. In the fall and winter, it’s the finches and the cardinals that are especially enjoyable for me to watch. Their beauty can bring life to a dull day and add a pop of color to my yard. Squirrels, in my opinion, have found a way to make enjoying this scene nearly impossible.

Squirrel proofing bird feeders is extremely important because not only does it help the birds enjoy the feeders, but it helps you enjoy the birds! One of the easiest ways to squirrel-proof your feeder is to check its location. I like hanging my feeders on branches, but found it helpful to keep them at least 10 feet from the tree trunk and large limbs. Keeping them at least 4 feet above ground level has helped keep squirrels from jumping up to them as well!

If you’re more a fan of pole mounting your feeder purchase one that is at least 5.5 feet high, so that after you put the pole a foot into the ground you still have the feeder sitting higher than 4 feet off the ground.

Squirrel baffles are an easy deterrent for squirrels as well. You may want to try the Perky-Pet® Squirrel Baffel and place it above or below the feeder to keep squirrels away. The baffles are domes that can be found in clear or a wide range of colors.  There are also special feeders you can purchase that are known to be squirrel proof, meaning that they are specially manufactured to prevent squirrels from being able to get the seeds from the feeder. This doesn’t mean they won’t try though, and could result in your birds not visiting when a squirrel is around.

Havahart® Brand makes a great squirrel repellent called Critter Ridder®. This can also be used on the ground near your feeder or sprayed on the branches above your feeder to keep the squirrels away.

Personally, using a baffle and locating the feeder correctly have done wonders for my feathered friends and me! It is much more pleasant to look out the window and watch birds feeding rather than squirrel acrobatics.

Have you gone to great lengths to keep squirrels from your birdseed? Share with readers below by posting a comment!

3 Comments
  1. Lea said:
    Feb 8, 2011 12:02 pm

    it’s an endless battle!!! I put a squirrel baffle on the pole and have it far enough away from trees AND a squirrel proof feeder. Because the snow is too high now and they can jump over the baffle and on to the pole. When they fig…ured out they weren’t going to get anything out of the feeder they managed to twirl the feeder enough to unscrew it from the top and drop it to the ground!!! I refilled it hung it back up again and noticed the tention no longer works and doesn’t cover the ports anymore therefore the feeder is NO longer squirrel proof they are hungry and smart!

  2. Teresa said:
    Feb 9, 2011 8:09 pm

    I don’t like the squirrels stealing the bird food, but i don’t approve of the Twirl-A-Squirrel item that spins the squirrlels off by spinning the bird feeder. Sorry, if anyone uses one, I just would rather not – they are God’s creatures, too.

  3. Keith said:
    Feb 11, 2011 8:22 pm

    We have plenty of squirrels around. Initially I started out with regular (non-squirrel proof) feeders. It didn’t take them long. They captivated the feeders, scared the birds away, and drained them very quickly. Now, through a three-fold approach I’ve diminished their impact. First, I do feed them. Some raw peanuts and black-oil sunflower seeds in the front of our abode, away from the bird feeders. Second, I’ve purchased two squirrel-proof feeders and have them mounted on a steel pole about 4’ off the ground. Then can still climb the pole and make it to the feeders. Initially the larger of the two feeders was conquered relatively quick. Even with the adjustable spring, it allowed the very persistent squirrels to reach the feed. I added a bit of weight, hanging a rock suspended from the bottom. It worked. They could no longer dangle down and get to the open, ever so slightly, feeding ports. The ports closed, as advertised. Third, I have a suction feeder attached to the glass. Initially I placed it too close to the adjoining screened window. The squirrel would merely jump to the screen, climb it, and reach the feeder. I moved that feeder to a more central location, with success.

    While I may be ahead of the squirrels for the past 60 days or so, I’m not convinced they have given up. Next thing I expect to see, one hanging onto another’s tail, so the latter can get to the feeding port. Then exchanging positions. All is great fun!

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