Stop Squirrels from Eating Your Birdseed
Keeping feeders full, using good quality feeders with metal ports or using open-tray style platform feeders where the seed is readily available will help eliminate squirrel damage to bird feeders. However, if you aren't sure what will work best, here are some good ways to stop squirrels from taking over your bird feeders.
Contents
Steps
Targeting the feeder itself
- Use squirrel-proof feeders. There are several on the market that are weight-activated, allowing birds to feed but not squirrels. Some have better features, and might last longer, but are also a bit on the expensive side.
- Use a squirrel-resistant feeder if you are budget minded. These tend to be less expensive, and are not quite as sturdy but will do the trick. These feeders will definitely slow down the seed consumption and might work if you only have an occasional squirrel, but are not truly squirrel-proof like the choices above.
- Use baffles to prevent a squirrel or raccoon from climbing to a feeder. Baffles can be hung or placed on poles or posts and they work if used correctly. The magic formula is ten feet by five feet. That is, athletic squirrels can jump ten feet horizontally and five feet vertically.
- Pole baffles are the easiest to situate. You can use either a straight pole or a shepherd's staff pole, just make sure that it is tall enough. Place the pole ten feet away from any trees, fence or other structure from where the squirrel might jump. Mount the baffle five feet high on the pole.
- Make sure that feeders hang above the top of the baffle. If you want to hang a baffle, the best way is to string a wire between two trees, place the baffle in the middle, ten feet away from either tree, and hang the feeder underneath the baffle.
- Make sure the bottom of the feeder is above five feet. Metal baffles tend to be most effective.
Using the right foods
- Buy foods that squirrels do not like. Nyjer seed, millet, safflower, canary seed and canola seed all are ingredients that squirrels avoid. Unfortunately a hungry squirrel will eat anything that will provide it nourishment.
- Mix hot pepper (capsicum) into birdseed. It is a non-toxic ingredient and will not harm or kill birds. It will not lower body temperature and will not freeze birds in cold climates. Pepper seeds are disseminated naturally by birds eating these seeds in the wild.
- The only caveat might be the use of powdered hot pepper. This powdered form is not natural to birds and if wind-blown could cause temporary discomfort to the eyes due to nerves about the mucous membrane. An alternative would be the use of crushed hot pepper flakes, hot pepper seeds, hot peppercorns (whole or cracked) or coarsely ground hot pepper.
Using decoys
- Try diversion feeding. It doesn't always work that well, but if you can't beat the squirrels, at least enjoy them! Get a squirrel feeder and give them a little corn or some critter munchies. They can be very entertaining when pursuing their own food.
- If you prefer the entertainment value, make the feeder difficult to reach and enjoy their gymnastics trying to reach it.
- Hang some suet in a small suet wire cage several feet from the feeder, in the squirrels' trees. Suet is very cheap and it bribes the squirrels to eat the suet, which can help encourage them to leave the bird feeder alone. Once again, the entertainment factor will be high.
Relocating the squirrels
- Consider relocating the squirrels if there isn't much else working. Relocation is not as effective as some of the other method. You can eliminate problem squirrels by using live traps to harmlessly catch them. However, be aware that relocating squirrels to another area is often a death sentence for the squirrels. Moreover, squirrel populations tend to build back up quickly, so this can be an ongoing effort.
- Make sure to take the squirrels several miles away and give them a nice, new home with lots of trees.
- Do not relocate nursing females.
- Know the local regulations concerning relocating wild animals.
Tips
- All wooden and plastic feeders can be damaged by squirrels if they can get to them. Most damage occurs when the seed is hard to get to, such as when the feeder is almost empty. Squirrels will chew into wood or plastic to get the last few seeds.
