Squirrel-proof bird feeders are a great investment if you are having trouble with these rodents in your yard. Squirrels seem to like bird food as much as the birds do. There are many types of squirrel-proof bird feeders but based on the advantages mentioned here, you should pick up on the qualities or features to look for when shopping for one.
Below are some of the benefits of investing in a good squirrel-proof bird feeder as well as some of the features to prioritize when comparing the different options on the market.
Keep Squirrels off Bird Feeder
The first obvious advantage is that a squirrel-proof bird feeder keeps squirrels off it. Squirrels dominate the feeder keeping your favourite birds away. The rodents also waste birdseed by pouring it to the ground. They are natural over-eaters and you will find yourself constantly replacing the bird food. Getting rid of the squirrels is definitely good news for the birds.
More than that, the bird feeder might be the only thing attracting squirrels to your yard. Denying them access to the food may make them look for alternative foraging and even nesting areas. This is especially true if you combine denying them food with removing other attractants such as long tree limbs and berries or nuts on the ground.
Easy to Install
A good squirrel-proof bird feeder shouldn’t need any special poles, guards or additions. It should be easy to install horizontally on a tree limb or anywhere else you like. Look for an option that is aesthetically appealing. Just because it’s supposed to keep squirrels off doesn’t mean that the bird feeder should be an eyesore on your yard.
Keeps Other Nuisance Pests Away
It’s not just squirrels that you should worry about. Larger birds may want to patch on the bird feeder even if they have no interest in the bird seed. This keeps the target birds away. A good squirrel-proof bird feeder should have some kind of dislodging mechanism that keeps larger or heavier animals away. Other non-target birds that may be attracted to your bird feeder include cowbirds, blackbirds, starlings, pigeons and other pest birds.
A rotating design, for example, is great for preventing squirrels and large birds from landing or loitering on the feeder but remains stable when the smaller and lighter target birds appear. This may also mean fewer fights with your pets as these animals and birds have no more incentive to hang around your yard.
Easy Maintenance
A good squirrel-proof bird feeder keeps unwanted animals and pests off it with minimal or no ongoing cost on your part. Ideally, you shouldn’t constantly pay for battery replacements or other additions that need to be replaced often to keep the device working properly. Simple mechanical operations and fewer moving parts are the best in this case. The bird feeder should also be versatile enough to allow you to use whatever birdseed you like.
Are there bird seeds that squirrels don’t eat?
Luckily enough for avid bird-watching enthusiasts, there are certain types of bird seeds that squirrels typically choose to stay away from. These seeds are unpalatable for a squirrel’s usual diet. However, many birds do find these seed varieties quite tasty. Due to this, you can be fortunate enough to have a bird feeder teeming with gorgeous bird species without the nuisance of uninvited squirrels. The birdseed varieties that you can buy that will attract certain birds but not squirrels include the nyjer seed, the canola seed, the millet seed, the safflower seed and the canary seed. The first bird seed variety that squirrels find distasteful is nyjer seed. Nyjer seeds are popular among birds such as goldfinches, redpolls and dark-eyed juncos. The second bird seed variety that squirrels find untasteful is the canola seed. Canola seeds are a preferred snack for birds like quails, doves and yellow-eyed juncos. The third type of birdseed variety that will repel squirrels is millet seeds. Millet seed is a tasty snack for birds including Carolina wrens, pheasants and towhees. The fourth bird seed variety that squirrels steer clear from is safflower seeds. Safflower seeds are a popular diet item for lots of birds like evening grosbeaks, Carolina chickadees and downy woodpeckers. The fifth bird seed variety that will discourage squirrels is the canary seed. Other than being the favourite snack to canaries as mentioned in the name, the canary seed is also eaten by house sparrows and the shiny cowbird. As you can see, many birdseed varieties will allow bird watchers to have a birdfeeder teeming with beautiful birds that won’t be scared off by the presence of an uninvited squirrel. However, it must also be remembered that under dire circumstances, squirrels will be desperate enough to eat anything that they can find. This can include the previously mentioned birdseed varieties that are not a preferred snack to squirrels.
Is there a bird feeder that is squirrel proof?
Bird feeders have been used for centuries to attract and feed the local bird population. Over time, bird feeders have increased in popularity which has given rise to new and improved bird feeders. You can now easily find bird feeders in every shape, size, colour and design at any hardware or nature store. Bird feeders have become so popular that some people have even invented bird feeders that are humanely squirrel proof. One such model of a humane squirrel proof bird feeder is a bird feeder that has a squirrel baffle. A squirrel baffle is a dome or cone-like structure that is on top of a bird feeder. These squirrel baffles have a slippery surface which causes a squirrel not to get a grip that would be sturdy enough to steal the bird seeds out of a bird feeder. Another model of a humane squirrel proof bird feeder is the enclosed structure birdfeeder. An enclosed structure bird feeder has an exterior layer of a protective structure before the actual birdseed holding part of a bird feeder. This exterior structure can be made of a wire grid or a miniature wooden fence. These enclosed structure bird feeders have their exterior wall be big enough for birds to poke through for them to eat away at the bird seeds that are located inside the inner structure at the same time as being too small for squirrels to try and enter, or even to reach inside, to grab the very same bird seeds that are located inside the interior bird feeder structure. Both of these bird feeder models can be easily found and cheaply purchased all over the world. However, it must be remembered that if you do plan on buying a squirrel proof bird feeder that you should make sure that it is a humane bird feeder that will not harm any squirrels or any other forms of wildlife.
How do you keep squirrels away from bird feeders?
It’s a clear indication that anyone who purchases a bird feeder has the intent of attracting the local bird population. In effect, it’s also an obvious statement that these people don’t wish to have squirrels invading their bird feeders. Squirrels overriding bird feeders have many negative effects. For instance, since squirrels are larger and heavier than most birds it’s likely that by having a squirrel constantly playing with a bird feeder, it is likely that the bird feeder will become damaged. To add on, squirrels are attracted by bird feeders to attain food and so their presence will scare off the birds that the bird feeder was meant for. However, there are many ways in which anyone can keep squirrels away from bird feeders to attract only birds. To start, you should place your bird feeder in a location that is difficult for squirrels to reach. Unlike most birds who can fly with their wings, squirrels don’t have wings to fly. Since this is the case, you should place your bird feeder at an altitude that a squirrel can’t reach. However, even though squirrels don’t have wings, they do have claws which makes them excellent climbers. In this instance, you should also make sure that your bird feeder is not near any climbable structure such as a tree, pole or building. To add on, there are structures that you can add on to your birdfeeder which will repel squirrels. For example, by adding a plastic dome either below, above or both below and above your bird feeder, you are creating a slippery surface that a squirrel will not be able to grasp at to get to your bird feeder. Likewise, you can add on a rotating structure to your bird feeder that will keep squirrels away as their weight will off put the structure causing it to move which will shake off the squirrel before it can get a mouthful of bird seeds. Not only are these solutions well tested. But they are also harmless to squirrels and birds alike.
How do you keep squirrels away from eating birdseed?
Do you wish to attract birds to your front lawn or backyard? This is true for many wildlife adorners for a variety of reasons. Whether you want to record what species make up the local bird population or you wish to admire the beautiful plumage on a specific bird, there is no better way than to birdwatch in the comfort of your own home then by sprinkling a few bird seeds on the ground and watching the flocks fly in for tasty peck. However, there are other creatures out there who also like to grab a nibble at some bird seeds. The most common of these uninvited wildlife are squirrels. Having squirrels eat bird seeds are a common issue. Squirrels eating bird seeds can give rise to many issues. For instance, since squirrels eat faster and more than typical birds, squirrels will likely eat most of the bird seeds first that you have laid out and therefore leaving none for the birds. Luckily enough, there are many ways in which anyone can keep squirrels away from eating birdseed. The first that you can try to keep squirrels away from eating bird seed is by using bird seeds that have been mixed or coated with chilli peppers. This trick works because birds have an underdeveloped sense of taste and will therefor won’t pick up on the spiciness of the chilli pepper as they eat the bird seeds. On the other hand, squirrels are mammals and have a stronger sense of taste. Spicy tasting food is not on a squirrel’s biological diet and so they dislike any form of spicy food so they will steer clear of chilli pepper contaminated bird seeds. Rest assured, however, that chilli peppers will not kill a squirrel if eaten in small amounts as usually is the case. However, if you do not wish to follow this method, then you can always feed the squirrels with separate seeds far away from your bird seeds to make everybody happy as well as fed.
Hire an Expert to Remove Squirrels from Your Yard
Unfortunately, getting rid of squirrels from your yard often isn’t as easy as changing your bird feeder. Humane eviction remains the most sensible, responsible and effective way of removing squirrels from your property.
One-way doors allow squirrels to leave their nests but block them from coming back in. sealing the exits/entries with galvanized steel mesh or metal flashing keeps the animals away for good.
Hire a squirrel removal expert Toronto to install the one-way door. Trapping a litter in the nest without the mother causes the baby squirrels to die from dehydration and starvation. A squirrel can fit through a hole the size of a nickel coin so it is highly unlikely that you can find and seal all potential entry points, especially in an old house.
The wildlife removal expert will remove the animals humanely and safely and wildlife-proof your property to avoid an invasion in the future. The expert will also clean and disinfect the toxic nest, feces and urine that the animals leave behind and pheromones that attract other wildlife for up to a kilometre.
Article Updated: February 7, 2020.