How to Stop Squirrels From Eating From Bird Feeders

Squirrels reach bird feeders by way of trees and ground objects.

Squirrels are agile, adept climbers and are attracted to bird feeders when hungry. If not stopped in a timely manner, squirrels that eat from your bird feeders may damage or destroy the bird feeder altogether. According to the Penn State Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension, squirrels frequently damage bird feeders when they enlarge openings by chewing on them or when they gnaw on perches. Preventing squirrels from eating from your bird feeder is essential if you want to keep your birds well-fed and happy.

Things You'll Need

• Nails
• Wooden pole
• Cement
• Metal collar
• Squirrel repellent

Instructions

1. Locate a spacious, wide-open area in your yard to place your bird feeder. Because squirrels use trees and other objects to gain access to bird feeders, placing the bird feeder in a hard-to-reach area will help stop the squirrels from eating from your bird feeder.

2. Nail your bird feeder onto a strong wooden pole.

3. Dig a hole at least 1 foot deep and place the pole holding the bird feeder into the hole. Pour cement into the hole to prevent the structure from tumbling over and spilling the bird seed when under attack by curious, hungry squirrels.

4. Attach a metal collar around the middle section of the pole. The Penn State Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension recommends placing a 2-foot-wide collar of metal onto the pole holding the bird feeder to prevent squirrels from climbing the pole and eating from the bird feeders. You can purchase a metal collar at hardware stores.

5. Mix a repellent, like Squirrel Away, into your bird food. According to the University of Missouri Extension, Squirrel Away is a highly concentrated capsaicin, derived from hot pepper plants, and is considered a bird seed supplement. Follow all label directions accordingly to ensure success.

Tips & Warnings

• If you still experience problems with squirrels eating from your bird feeder, replace your old bird feeder with a squirrel-proof bird feeder.

• Sprinkle a little bit of the squirrel repellent onto the ground around the bird feeder to repel curious ground squirrels from attempting to eat from your bird feeder.

References

• Penn State Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension: Tree Squirrels
• University of Missouri Extension: Tree Squirrels Managing Habitat and Controlling Damage