Remedies to Keep Squirrels Out of Bird Feeders

Distract a squirrel from a bird feeder with one of his own.

If you're a backyard bird-watcher, you're probably tired of battling the little thieves that gobble up the expensive feed you put in the feeders. Squirrels' antics provide comical entertainment, but they also frighten away songbirds. Given the chance, these critters will turn your bird feeder into scrap. Outsmarting wily, creative squirrels is no easy task.

Squirrel Facts

Squirrels are ravenous animals that spend much of their day looking for sustenance; they consume more than their body weight in food every week. Squirrels are able to jump horizontally at least 8 feet, allowing them to leap from object to object with ease. That range extends 11 feet when jumping from tree branch to tree branch, or from a tree branch down to your bird feeder. With the help of their tails and back toes, squirrels can hang upside down while using their front paws to gather food. These critters have a highly developed sense of smell, allowing them to sniff out the food in your bird feeder from a great distance.

Make Your Feeder Inaccesible

Locate bird feeders at least 10 feet from a squirrel's access points. Hanging bird feeders on a horizontal length of fine wire or fishing line covered with plastic tubing helps, as the plastic tubing will spin around the wire or fishing line when the squirrel attempts to walk across. A baffle that tilts when a squirrel lands on it also makes bird feeders less accessible. Hang the baffle about 18 inches above a hanging feeder. If the feeder is installed on a pole, place the baffle below the feeder so the squirrel can't scramble up the pole. Any rounded object, even a garbage can lid, is an effective baffle. Squirrel spooker poles are another option. These poles have a counterweight system and a moveable plastic sleeves that slips down when the squirrel reaches it on the way to the feeder. The squirrel falls to the ground and the sleeve moves back into place.

Buy a Squirrel-Proof Feeder

Many commercial bird feeders are constructed to make accessing the seed inside difficult for squirrels. Some feeders are made of indestructible plastic or metal with seed reinforced feed ports constructed entirely of metal. Often, the feeders include doors that close automatically when anything heaver than a songbird lands on the perch. These feeders are effective, but tend to be expensive.

Distract Squirrels

Giving squirrels their own food supply often will satisfy the little scavengers and prevent them from terrorizing your bird feeder. Raw, unshelled peanuts are a favorite. Squirrels also like cracked corn, as well as ears of corn that can be hung from trees. Locate squirrel feeding areas away from bird feeders and away from your door steps or windowsills, as squirrels are often guilty of breaking and entering.

References

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: What Can You Do About Squirrels?
• Wild Birds Unlimited: Squirrel Facts