How to Build a Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder

There is nothing more frustrating than looking out your window and seeing a fluffy squirrel tale bobbing around your bird feeder. Before you throw in the towel on bird feeding, try your hand at creating your own simple squirrel-proof feeder. This will not only keep the squirrels at bay, but will also keep those other pesky critters, the raccoons, away.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 6 to 8 2-liter bottles
• Rope

1. Rinse out 6 to 8 2-liter bottles. Discard caps as you will not use them for this project.

2. Drill a hole in the bottom of each bottle. Keep in mind the bottles need to be able to spin freely on the rope you are using to suspend your bird feeder.

3. Secure one end of your rope to either a sturdy tree or pole, such as a metal or wood fence post that you have firmly anchored in the ground.

4. Thread your rope through 3 to 4 bottles, and again verify that the bottles easily spin. If your bird feeder has a loop hanger, you can now thread your rope through the loop and follow it with 3 to 4 additional bottles on the other side.

5. Fasten the other end of your rope to another tree trunk or secure fence post. You now have a squirrel-resistant bird feeder. If the squirrels attempt to cross the rope to your feeder they will soon be foiled as they hit the spinning bottles.

6. Fill your feeder with bird seed and enjoy many hours of bird watching.

[naturenut]

on 7/23/2009 If I can only tell you the crazy things I did to keep squirrels away from my feeders, you would crack up laughing. I had one squirrel go to the 2nd floor apartment and reach down to get my bird feeders. He stopped at nothing. You should have seen that squirrel hanging like a circus squirrel trying to grab the feeder. It was funny but I was so mad at that squirrel. I guess that is what i get for having 10 bird feeders on my patio.