| Many people enjoy putting out birdseed for their | | | | tend to be only partially effective by themselves, |
| feathered neighbors. However, squirrels also are | | | | though. You would think that wire cages around |
| attracted to the food and squirrels, like many animals, | | | | tubular feeders would keep the squirrels from being |
| are very resourceful and determined when it comes | | | | able to reach the birdseed. These are not as |
| to securing food. Their ability to jump and climb | | | | attractive aesthetically, which is annoying if you |
| allows them to easily get into bird feeders, even | | | | would like to photograph your bird buddies. The wire |
| those that people have tried to strategically place out | | | | cages can also be defeated by persistent squirrels. If |
| of their reach. Putting out separate squirrel feeders | | | | you don't believe me, just try a quick search on |
| that are conveniently located for them also does not | | | | YouTube for bird feeders squirrel proof. |
| prevent them from raiding bird feeders. Bird lovers | | | | Use feeders with weight sensors. Sophisticated bird |
| have, in turn, over the years devised better feeders. | | | | feeders featuring weight sensitive perches have also |
| Primary bird feeders squirrel proof strategies are to: | | | | been introduced. These can sense the weight of a |
| Put bird feeders away from trees or branches within | | | | squirrel and respond by closing feed ports or tipping |
| jumping distance for squirrels. This is often done by | | | | or spinning the feeder. Closing the ports makes it |
| mounting feeders on poles that are set in or on the | | | | hard for a squirrel to steal birdseed and tipping or |
| ground. Of course, this presents a new problem: the | | | | spinning motions make it hard for a squirrel to stay |
| squirrels can try to climb the bird feeder poles! A | | | | mounted on the feeder. Closing access ports is not |
| couple of things can be done to make it hard for the | | | | always as effective as it sounds, however, since |
| squirrels to climb up to the feeder. Some people have | | | | squirrels can figure out how to swing these models |
| tried adding vaseline to a pole to make it too slippery | | | | sideways to shake the seeds out. Again, squirrels like |
| to climb, but this isn't effective for long and is | | | | other animals are very determined when it comes to |
| certainly messy. PVC piping has also been used to | | | | securing food! Feeders that are designed to spin |
| support pole-mounted feeders since its slick surface | | | | when the weight of a squirrel is detected can |
| is hard to climb. | | | | effectively drive the squirrel off without harming it. |
| Add physical barriers like squirrel baffles to a bird | | | | These are also more expensive to buy, but can be |
| feeder pole and/or add wire caging around the | | | | worth it in savings on birdseed and aggravation. Many |
| feeder housing. Squirrel baffles are commonly used to | | | | people also like watching the squirrels take a spin on |
| deter the critters from climbing up the pole for a | | | | the feeder! |
| pole-mounted feeder since they are cheap. These | | | | |