How to Squirrel Proof Bird Feeders

Squirrels are natural born acrobats. If you have outdoor bird feeders in your yard, then chances are you’ve seen them in action. They will leap through the air, hang upside down by their toenails and do whatever it takes to raid your bird feeder. Most people consider squirrels a pest and attempt to repel them fom bird feeders, so that the birdseed is left for the birds, and not gobbled up by the squirrels. Here are a few things that you can do yourself to squirrel proof your bird feeders.

Things You'll Need

• Squirrel baffle
• Squirrel resistant bird feeder
• Slippery oily substance such as WD-40
• Cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. Install a squirrel baffle. A baffle is a cone-like object that it fastened onto the bird feeder pole, usually placed beneath the feeder. It acts as a physical barrier that prevents the squirrel from being able to reach the bird feeder.

2. Purchase a squirrel resistant bird feeder. There are many types of bird feeders on the market that claim to be squirrel proof. Some of them are surrounded by wire cages to prevent the squirrel from being able to reach the birdseed. Other types have a spring-loaded perch, so that if a squirrel should sit on the perch to eat, the weight of the squirrel will cause the perch to move lower and close off access to the birdseed. No feeder is 100 percent squirrel proof, but a squirrel resistant feeder will at least deter and frustrate them.

3. Place feeders away from anything that they could jump from. A squirrel will climb a tree and then leap from a branch to land on top of a bird feeder if it is close enough. Position the feeders far enough from anything that a squirrel could jump from. This could be a tree, porch railing or even a bird bath. Don’t even think about hanging a bird feeder from a tree branch. It may look lovely, but it will end up being nothing more than a squirrel feeder.

4. Grease the pole. If you spray the pole with a slippery oily substance such as WD-40, then the squirrel will not be able to get enough traction to climb the pole to reach the seed in the bird feeder.

5. Put cayenne pepper in the birdseed whenever you fill the bird feeders. Birds cannot detect the heat, but the hot pepper will have a squirrel running for the nearest drink of water.

Resources

• The Humane Society of the United States