What To Put On A Bird Feeder Pole To Stop A Squirrel And Not Bother Hummingbirds Feeding
Information technology's incredibly challenging to go on squirrels away from bird feeders!
I know this argument is obvious, but whether you lot honey 'em or hate 'em, at some indicate, almost every backyard birder has to bargain with squirrels trying to stage a hostile takeover of their bird food.
I like squirrels and want them in my backyard. I enjoy watching them, and they are every bit much a office of nature every bit birds.
Merely…
I desire to meet my squirrels ON THE Footing. Unfortunately, these ravenous rodents can quickly become a nuisance on bird feeders for many reasons, including their voracious appetite, feeder dominance, amazing athletic power, and ability to chew through almost anything!
Do you see any squirrels on my feeders?
Below is a Alive wait at my bird feeding station. We have at to the lowest degree eight squirrels that commonly visit our backyard and periodically one of them tin can be observed on my bird feeders. Unfortunately, I violate Tip #2 below, and it's relatively common to see a squirrel leap from the copse!
- *Larn more about my 2 Live bird cameras HERE.*
Below, y'all will larn EIGHT ways to keep squirrels off bird feeders!
Afterwards doing lots of research and experimenting at dwelling, I have put together eight strategies that tin help prevent and cease the carnage that squirrels tin wreak on your bird food supply.
And the best news?
None of the tips below hurt squirrels . I do not agree with or recommend any strategy that puts these small mammals in danger. Equally I said before, I desire to feed the squirrels, just not from my bird feeders. 🙂
- RELATED: The 10 Types of Squirrels That Live in the United States! (& Canada) Larn virtually the squirrel species you lot meet and battle in your backyard! Range maps included. 🙂
Tip #i: Invest in a Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder Pole
By installing a quality squirrel-proof bird feeder pole, you lot can eliminate most squirrel problems.
It's pretty simple. If squirrels tin can't climb upwardly to the bird feeders, and so they are stuck eating the food that falls to the ground.
When it comes to squirrel-proof bird feeder poles, you lot have two options:
A. Buy a pole that is manufactured to prevent squirrels.
For example, I used to own the Squirrel Stopper Pole , and not i single critter E'er got past the attached leap-loaded baffle. (This year I built a more than heavy-duty bird feeder pole due to the high number of bird feeders I was using. 🙂 )
A squirrel baffle is merely a contraption that prevents squirrels (and other small-scale mammals) from climbing up your bird feeder pole. Check out the spring-loaded baffle on the Squirrel Stopper pole beneath:
Squirrel Stopper Pole Check Today's Toll
Not only is this pole peachy at preventing squirrels from climbing upwardly, but it holds up to eight bird feeders and looks "classy" in my backyard.
- RELATED: The Best Bird Feeder Poles – Squirrel-Proof, Sturdy, & Stylish
B. Squirrel-proof your existing pole by attaching baffles.
If yous like your electric current bird feeder pole and want to keep it, but information technology wasn't designed to terminate squirrels, I have great news!
Squirrel baffles tin exist purchased separately (or fabricated) and attached to your existing pole.
In full general, there are ii different styles/shapes of baffle y'all will run across:
Torpedo Baffle Pictured Above (Too referred to as Stovepipe or Cone) : Audubon Steel Squirrel Baffle
Wrap Around Baffle Pictured In a higher place: Woodlink Squirrel Bamboozle
Both of these baffles are designed to attach below the bird feeder. Equally squirrels climb, they are not able to get effectually the bamboozle and therefore can't swallow your bird nutrient!
*Squirrels can leap vertically up to four feet high! Brand sure to attach a squirrel baffle high enough on the pole that they tin't just leap over and on top of information technology.*
For everything you lot need to know about squirrel baffles, check out this article:
- The BEST Squirrel Baffles For Whatever Situation (eleven Ideas!)
Tip #2: Place Your Bird Feeders Wisely
Did you know that squirrels can jump every bit far every bit 10 feet horizontally?
Don't believe me?
Here is a video I created of the squirrels jumping onto my bird feeding station!
Unfortunately, my bird feeding station will never be 100% squirrel proof, and it's considering my feeders are besides shut to the trees y'all run into in the above video. Because of this fact, I accept to rely on the other strategies discussed in this post!
As you are deciding where to place bird feeders in your backyard, remember that they will be discipline to an aeriform assault from squirrels!
To forbid squirrels from making the jump, find a suitable area that is at least 10 feet away from any trees, tree branches, houses, decks, ability lines, or anything else that they can climb to utilize as a launchpad. My feeding station is only well-nigh five feet away from the nearest trees, and the squirrels make that leap easily!
It will probably be the most fun to place the feeders merely a bit out of the squirrels' reach. Past doing this, yous get to find them TRY to make the jump but miss, which provides some entertainment. 🙂
Tip #3: Invest in a Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder
If you are not able to stop squirrels from reaching your bird feeders, it may be time to turn your feeders into Fort Knox.
Luckily, in that location are bird feeders that allow birds to swallow but cut off the food supply for squirrels. Some work peachy; some fail miserably.
Here are the THREE almost pop strategies used past squirrel-proof bird feeders:
A. Weight Sensitive:
Access to bird food is denied if there is likewise much weight on the perches of the feeder. Most birds are MUCH lighter than squirrels, and they tin swallow comfortably. Simply when a squirrel jumps on, typically a door closes, and they are not able to eat the food!
For example, here is a short video of the weight-sensitive perches in action on my Absolute 2 hopper feeder :
Check Today's Cost
B. Cages :
Audubon Squirrel-Proof Caged Tube Bird Feeder
Some feeders are surrounded past a metal cage to stop squirrels. The openings in the enclosure are large enough for pocket-size birds to wing through only too tiny for squirrels to fit within. Cages also work great to keep blackbirds off your feeders.
- RELATED: 3 Effective Means To Get Rid of Starlings TODAY
C. Battery Powered Feeders That Spin :
These may exist the nigh fun! When a squirrel climbs on the feeder, the motor kicks in to beginning spinning, which tosses them off!
For a list of my favorite squirrel-proof bird feeders with honest reviews, bank check out the following article:
-
The 6 All-time Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeders (Finally Stop Wasting Your Food!)
Tip #4: Offering foods that squirrels don't like
There may be locations you want to place your feeders that are nigh impossible to continue squirrels away from, such as on a deck, window, or almost a tree.
In this instance, it may be necessary to be very selective about the foods you are going to offer.
And hither'southward the practiced news:
Squirrels don't eat everything!
Squirrels go crazy over nuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, corn, and fruit. They love these foods! Yous can't blame them for trying to get to your feeders.
Merely tin you believe there are a handful of foods that volition concenter lots of birds AND prevent squirrels at the same time?
Here are 3 foods yous can employ that squirrels don't like:
A. Safflower Seed :
Cardinals, chickadees, titmice, and many finches love this modest, white seed while squirrels don't. Blackbirds (starlings and grackles) also don't eat safflower seeds, which makes me recall this may be a miracle food!
- Related: Safflower Seed 101: Everything You Need To Know!
B. Nyjer Seed :
Goldfinches tin't get plenty, but squirrels don't carp with this tiny seed.
C. White Proso Millet :
I think information technology's likewise small-scale for squirrels to mess with, but doves, juncos, and sparrows will undoubtedly be happy information technology's available.
Tip #v: Keep Squirrels Away With Hot Peppers!
When I showtime learned about the strategy of stopping squirrels with hot peppers, it sounded strange to me only made a lot of sense once I learned more than.
Have you e'er eaten a hot pepper? If then, you know that it tin brand your rima oris a chip uncomfortable.
The " oestrus " that yous feel in your oral cavity after eating a hot pepper is acquired by a chemical compound called capsaicin . The reason we feel hurting, discomfort, and burning after eating hot peppers is that capsaicin messes with specific nerve endings in our mouths.
Here is the exciting function:
Only mammals, similar squirrels, are affected by capsaicin!
Birds can eat capsaicin all mean solar day long and feel no ill effects.
So to take advantage, many bird foods add capsaicin as a powder coat, liquid coat, or as role of a suet mix to stop squirrels from eating.
Fourth dimension and time again, it has been shown that having capsaicin-treated bird food is one of the best squirrel repellants yous can apply. All it takes is one smell or taste, and they will start looking elsewhere. 🙂
But is it condom to feed birds capsaicin ?
Products that contain capsaicin have been on the market place for a long time at present. There are no reports of any birders or ornithologists that have spoken to the adverse health consequences for birds.
Hither is the capsaicin bird food that I have used before with great success:
Cole'due south Hot Meats Sunflower Seed View Price - Amazon
Tip #6: Feed squirrels at a split up feeder
This tip runs counter to almost everything else on this list.
To prevent and deter squirrels from accessing and eating all of your nutrient and scaring away birds, try feeding them at a separate feeder just for them!
For example, underneath my bird feeders, I have a tray that is always filled with sunflower seeds just for the squirrels!
Woodlink Tray Feeder: View Price - Amazon
By providing an unlimited supply of food for squirrels in a divide feeder, you are hoping they won't fifty-fifty carp going through all the extra work to achieve your bird feeders.
This tip works well as a squirrel deterrent. I use this aforementioned strategy to aid control House Sparrows also!
- RELATED: 6 Proven Tips to Stop House Sparrows From Taking Over Your Feeders
Make sure the feeder is in an easy spot for the squirrels to detect and fill it with cheap food they love, similar corn and sunflower seeds.
Tip #7: Have Fun With Your Squirrels!
We have already established that squirrels will practise about annihilation to reach bird food, and they are incredibly determined and acrobatic.
Knowing this, endeavor having some fun and brand them piece of work difficult for their repast!
There are numerous squirrel feeders designed with man entertainment in listen. One of my favorites is a big bike that features cobs of corn on the ends. If the squirrels don't balance themselves right, the wheel starts to spin around. The squirrels eventually get to eat, merely it's not piece of cake!
Here is a spinning squirrel feeder in activity:
Woodlink Squirrel-Become-Circular Feeder View $ on Amazon
Tip #8: Don't Hurt Squirrels!
Unfortunately, out of frustration, many people have come up with means to keep squirrels off their bird feeders that injure or even kill them.
I don't concord with these methods.
There are too many effective strategies that piece of work as squirrel deterrents AND continue squirrels safe. Retrieve that squirrels are just trying to survive themselves and doing what comes naturally to them!
So my final recommendation is to avoid annihilation that will hurt squirrels. I know these pesky rodents can be overwhelming, but please resist any temptations to eliminate them permanently.
Try to appreciate squirrels as office of nature and remember they are just trying to survive like the birds that visit your feeders!
Hither are some things to avoid:
Poison :
Not simply volition y'all be sentencing the squirrels to a painful death, but what if your dog accidentally ingests some?
- RELATED: 5 Reasons Why You Should NEVER Use Rat Poison!
Glue or anything else gummy on your bird feeder pole :
It not only has to exist incredibly painful to accept their fur ripped out, but information technology's well-nigh impossible for squirrels to remove the glue. They may also ingest some equally they try to groom themselves.
Petroleum jelly or grease on your bird feeder pole :
Like to glue, this is incredibly difficult for squirrels to get off their coat. They might ingest some and get sick, or their fur will clump together, leaving them susceptible to cold weather condition.
Shooting :
There is nada yous can shoot at a squirrel that will not injure it, except a camera.
Letting your cat exterior to kill the squirrels :
Cats Honey to prey on and impale birds. If y'all want to see more birds at your feeder and fewer squirrels, do you call back letting your cat exterior is a bang-up thought?
Killing the squirrels in your lawn is a classic example of treating the symptom and not the problem. Squirrels breed quickly, so you tin e'er look more to make it. Using a combination of the tips above will work much better every bit long-term solutions to your squirrel problems than murder.
Conclusion:
Past utilizing some of the tips listed above, it is entirely possible to repel, deter, and keep squirrels off your feeders and stop them from eating all of your bird food!
I accept had the best luck by combing tips #3, #4, and #5 together.
About importantly, endeavor to acquire to appreciate squirrels and enjoy the challenges they provide.
Who knows, once you become the squirrels nether control and off your bird feeders, yous may cease up enjoying their crazy antics. And just and then you know, The Squirrel Lover'southward Club is always looking for new members!
Earlier you get, I want your aid to make this commodity even ameliorate. Can y'all assist answer some of these questions in the comments below?
How do you end squirrels from getting onto your bird feeders?
What are the best ways you take found to deter and repel squirrels?
Thanks for reading, and adept luck!
Scott
Source: https://birdwatchinghq.com/squirrels-off-bird-feeders/
Posted by: woodsniiis1961.blogspot.com
0 Response to "What To Put On A Bird Feeder Pole To Stop A Squirrel And Not Bother Hummingbirds Feeding"
Post a Comment