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Squirrel Proof Your Bird Feeders

Backyard birding has become a nationwide passion for millions of American families. The fun of planning and attracting song birds to our yards can be very gratifying. Soon after putting out feeders, we are rewarded by the arrival of our feathered friends. Colorful cardinals, jays, mockingbirds, chickadees, wrens, and finches will begin to serenade you as a reward for your efforts. Yes, the birds you welcome to your yard will arrive and find your feeders and you will, no doubt, start a record of the birds you see. Your feeders are kept full and your yard is now also filling with these colorful friends.

Then come the squirrels. The first will come tentatively, tail flashing a warning to his friends and relatives. How exciting, you will think, we are attracting cute little squirrels. The first squirrel will find your feeders. If you have platform or ground feeders, these will be the first targets. We have watched as this solitary squirrel returned with one, then two, three and finally four others seeking this daily bounty. That is OK, they are cute too. They can be. We have one who loves to get in the platform feeder and lay on his belly, guarding his feast, as he uses both paws to shovel in the goods. Cute lasts only so long when these guys eat their fill every day and start keeping your birds from the feeders. What to do.

The simple and obvious approach is to reposition the feeders to make them harder to access. Squirrels can be very determined and creative when it come to free food. We moved our platform feeder away from trees and put out more tube feeders for our birds. A squirrel was found curled around the seed cup at the bottom of a tube feeder one afternoon. This busy fellow, unhappy with seeds so near and unavailable, had gnawed huge holes at each feeder port. They could leap huge distances and crossed barriers we were sure they could not. It was apparent our yard, with fences, shrubs, and many trees would be a challenge to thwart these crafty creatures.

Thankfully, there are bird feeders designed for just such problems and can help you squirrel proof your feeding area. Many of these feeders use wire cages around the tube feeder. These allow birds to perch on the wire while reaching through to the feed ports. The paws of our squirrels are not able to get to the seeds, nor can they chew threw the wire to reach the tubes of seeds. There are also platform feeders using the same concept. The seed area is covered by a wire mesh. Birds can feed but the squirrels cannot reach the seeds. These feeders cost more to make than the basic tube or platform feeder, but perform very well. Our Duncraft line has many squirrel proof feeders of this sort and many carry a lifetime warranty.

Another design by Droll Yankee provides hours of entertainment while keeping away these unwanted visitors. Some designs have perches calibrated for the weight of several songbirds which will collapse under the weight of a squirrel. The seed tubes are also larger so the squirrel cannot hold on. The squirrel has nothing to grab and harmlessly falls to the ground. These are available with collapsing perches or seed trays and work very well. These are the Dipper, Tipper, and Whipper. See our Droll Yankee feeders for video clips of each in action!

Perhaps one of the most creative and entertaining takes the perch design a step further. A battery operated motor is attached to a suspended, weight calibrated, circular perching area. The intruding squirrel is thrown off the feeder when his weight activates the motor. The entire perch spins until the squirrel flies off. This design again incorporates the larger diameter tubes and also position the feeding ports at the bottom of the tubes to prevent the squirrel from hanging and reaching the ports.

The results are rewarding and look great. There is no need for baffles or other measures, the squirrels are thwarted and the songbirds eat in peace. Consider these feeders if you are planning a backyard birding area or currently have a squirrel problem. You will have many years of service and enjoyment.

  Watch the videos!