Is there really such a thing as a squirrel-proof bird feeder? Is it even possible to keep those furry thieves away form your bird feeders?
I don’t know about you, but one of the most frustrating aspects of feeding wild birds is losing half of your bird seed in one day to squirrels—usually, one big, fat, clever squirrel, to be exact.
I used to hang my hummingbird feeder from my garden trellis…
Until one day, I noticed a squirrel climbing stealthily up the metal trellis. From my office window, I saw him looking both ways, assessing his chances. Then he leaped onto the hummingbird feeder. He used his weight to rock the feeder as he hung by his toes from the top, sticking his head near the big yellow plastic flowers. He lapped up the sweet red liquid nectar from the feeder. The squirrel then swung the feeder harder until liquid slopped over the edges into a puddle on the ground. Then he scampered down and drank from the puddle on the pathway under the feeder.
That’s when I moved to the feeder closer to the porch, where the cats patrol, and hung it from a pole that is a little more difficult for squirrels to climb.
How Smart Are Squirrels?
Squirrels are smart. Super smart. According to an article called Squirrel Psychology, gray squirrels can learn from one another. Because they are hard-wired to recognize another squirrel as a potential threat to their food supplies, they watch what other squirrels do, and mimic their rivals’ actions to obtain more food.
A fellow named Steve Barley even designs assault courses for his squirrels. It’s funny as heck, even if it is a bit frightening:
Now you can see why and how squirrels have become one of the most dreaded foes of all when it comes to feeding wild birds!
To answer my original question: Is there such a thing as a squirrel-proof bird feeder?
Bird Feeders with Baffles to Squirrel Proof the Feeder
According to many sources, baffles effectively prevent squirrels from dining on birdseed.
There are several types of baffles:
- Cylindrical bird feeder baffles encircle the pole on which a feeder is mounted and prevent the squirrel from climbing the pole. Since squirrels can leap 8 to 10 feet, you’ve got to keep the feeder well away from trees, decks, and other perches the squirrel can use as a launching pad.
- Tilting baffles have an umbrella-shaped dome over the feeder. This makes it difficult for squirrels to approach the feeder from above. In the first picture, the blue pagoda-style top worked fairly well at my house on Long Island to keep most squirrels away from the feeder.
- Specialized weight-activated feeders are one of my favorites. These feeders have weight-activated gates that slam down over the food ports when a squirrel lands on the feeder. Birds won’t trigger the mechanism, but squirrels do. Unfortunately, some pissed-off squirrels have been known to dig at the gates and gnaw at them until they get through.
- Bird seed additives, such as capsaicin, the active substance in chili peppers, can be safely added to bird seed. It burns spicy hot inside the mouths of squirrels but doesn’t hurt birds at all. According to the National Wildlife Association, you must be very careful using it because it can also burn and sting your eyes and hands – it affects all mammals. It’s also the active ingredient in many spring flower bulb sprays and squirrel deterrents. It deters all mammals, too, not just squirrels.
Keep Squirrels Away
I have the two best deterrents in my yard now: one German shepherd dog and several cats. The cats harass the squirrels but, unfortunately, also harass the birds on occasion so they are mostly indoor cats. I’m sure the dog is only effective when he’s out in the yard, which isn’t as often as he’d like.
But in the meantime, the birds find my feeders and the squirrels have to go elsewhere. Until the next day, they somehow outwit us all and empty the bird feeder!
My parents have tried and tried to get one the squirrels can’t get to and I am not sure they have found one yet. I am going to give them this information. They usually have some cardinals that like to visit. They are fun to watch.
Get a RollerFeeder – they are 100000000% squirrel proof, including red squirrels. They require no batteries. I’ve had two for three years now, and ZERO squirrels have gotten to the seed. They’ve stopped trying. Truly, and honestly, a squirrel proof feeder. Mine have even survived two bear attacks (I forgot to bring them in before the bears became active).
Shannon, I’ll have to look into that. Thanks for the tip!
Thank you for sharing. I love watching squirrels, they are such great little athletes, balancing on trees and cables, running from branch to branch. I don’t think I would mind them eating bird food, I just keep refilling. 🙂
Hi Dagmar! It’s so nice to hear from you. Squirrels are funny, but I don’t want to feed them…they get bread scraps from the stale bread around here. Enjoy your day!
Oh Jeanne! This is the worst. I think the answer to your question is no! As a kid, my dad tried everything to keep the squirrels off our feeder. He would put slippery Crisco on the pole and they would still find a way up! We had electric ones that were supposed to shock them, too. So annoying because it makes you want to give up, but the birds really need the food! My dad eventually started setting up humane traps and taking the squirrels to another neighborhood. Hah! Good luck with your search, and let us know if you find “the one!”
Susannah, you made me laugh. We too battled squirrels out in the suburbs. Thankfully here in the country I have fewer squirrels! Thanks for leaving a comment and come back again soon!