Bird feeder & squirrel problems

[smoked turkey]

I'm enjoying watching the birds at our new bird feeder. Currently we have about 30 birds of all kinds feeding from it. Since the weather has been so bad with temps on either side of zero for several days, along with a foot of snow, I actually think we are helping the little creatures out. The squirrels have also found the feeder as well. Unfortunately they seem to be taking way more than their share of seed. They spill as much on the ground as they eat. I can't seem to let nature take it's course and so I've ended up being the bird feeder police. I've killed four of the little varmints so far. My question is what would you do if the feeder was in your back yard? Would you let if be our would you police it?

[Bloodman14]

Unfortunately, my wife will not let me police the bird feeder. We are getting quite a few deer around the feeder, prompting me to get some corn and sweet feed for them as well. I guess this recent storm we had took the critters by surprise as well.

[Winger Ed.]

I always keep seed & peanut butter blocks I make out, mostly for the wood peckers.
With the snow, I put out two of them, a hanging bird feeder, and throw some seed out for the ground feeding birds like doves and robins.

We've attracted a few different kinds of wrens, fly catchers, and some I don't recognize to the feeder.
They're so hungry we can walk up and stand next to the feeder & blocks. They keep eating, and don't fly away.

I've got a problem child squirrel too, but don't want to trap it until the neighborhood skunk moves on.

[monadnock#5]

If you have snoopy neighbors, F&G will not be sympathetic with you persuing a permanent solution. Not a bit. So here's what you do, take a tea cup size vessel and put a couple tbsp's of Vaseline in it. Add to the Vaseline: curry powder; black pepper; chili powder.....you get the idea, and mix well. Slather the concoction on the rod supporting the feeders and problem solved. Might wanna keep a camera handy as it will take a couple days before they get the idea.

[MrWolf]

I used to have a Squirrel Buster Plus Squirrel-proof Bird Feeder w/Cardinal Ring and 6 Feeding Ports, 5.1-pound Seed Capacity, Adjustable, Pole-mountable that I got off Amazon almost 10 years ago. It worked pretty good. Fun watching the squirrels trying to get seed. Took it with me when I moved here but it was not bear proof. Oh well. My bird feeder now is just the cheapest plastic ones from Tractor Supply. No worries about squirrels here with the dogs running the fenced in yard.

[pworley1]

If your intention is to feed the birds, I would feed the birds and eat the squirrels. Squirrel season is open here for those who might wonder.

[DougGuy]

I always got a kick out of the youtube vids of squirrels being flung off spinning feeders, and then there's the meme of the red squirrel that got his nuts caught in the Y in the pole, some days it just sucks to be a squirrel!

I put up a Dalen owl decoy ($20 fleabay) on my raised bed where I grew tomatoes last year, and the squirrels won't even come on my side of the street! The neighbor had a big problem with squirrels chewing their way into the attic, now they won't even come on the same side of the house where the owl is. You gotta keep moving the owl or they will figure it out. Might try one on a metal rod somewhere near the feeder?

[winelover]

Squirrels, possum and coons, can be an issue with bird feeders. My preferred feeders have adjustable spring loaded feeding shelves. Closing off the seed flow, if anything heavier than a bird, tries to dine. However, that's only half the battle. The varmints, will figure how to defeat that, over time. Usually, by getting on top and hanging upside down. A baffle on the pole, helps but I go one step further and encase the pole, below the baffle with stove pipe, all the way down to the ground. Pretty much 100% effective.

Do not hang your feeders from trees/shrubs or even put them within jumping distance from one. My posts are made from 1/2 black pipe. My suet feeders are hung from a shepherd hook, with same precautions.

Occasionally, when I notice fowl play, I put out paw traps and catch coons. Dispatch them, first thing in the AM, with a 22 LR.

Winelover

[winelover]

The owl decoy kind of defeats the purpose. It will keep the birds away too. I live rurally, 57 acres. Every time, I see the feeding birds scatter, it's because of an owl or hawk, has shown up. That's what they prey on, besides small mammals.

Winelover

[DougGuy]

The owl decoy kind of defeats the purpose. It will keep the birds away too. I live rurally, 57 acres. Every time, I see the feeding birds scatter, it's because of an owl or hawk, has shown up. That's what they prey on, besides small mammals.

Winelover

That's a moving flying predator. Birds don't seem to mind a fake one sitting still.

[Blanket]

I just put out more feed, have deer, turkeys, squirrel's and birds. Cracked corn is cheap

[Ural Driver]

I use a scoped Marlin .22 bolt gun with Colibri powderless ammo......quieter than my Benjamin pump up and will do head shots out to 75 feet. Sitting at the dining room table, crack the door open about six inches and snipe the tree-rats off the feeders.

[John Wayne]

I was lucky enough to spot a huge black bear working a feeder in north Georgia while a little old lady was hosing off spider webs on her house 50' away. I drove right up to the feeder blowing my horn and off he went. She had no idea and had been wondering what was knocking down her feeder. He was the largest my co-worker and I had ever seen and we have seen many. I've also watch a sow with 3 cubs for quite a while.

[John Wayne]

We keep 6 feeders out but don't have squirrel problems since the dogs love to chase them. The birds keep the bugs down and keep our woods healthy in return. Beautiful to see and hear! It was real cold the other day and we had 10 male Cardinals sitting in a small tree near one feeder. The most I had seen up to that point was 7.

[Cast_outlaw]

You should build this but squirrels are pretty epic
https://youtu.be/hFZFjoX2cGg

[Pipefitter]

Find an old hand crank generator like used to be in the old time phones. insulate the pole well, and then spiral wrap 2 copper wires up the pole. run insulated wires into the house, hook them up to the hand crank and wait...................

[kerplode]

Personally, I find the squirrels to be as interesting to watch as the birds. I just put out more food and let everyone go at it.

You can buy bird food that has hot pepper added to it. Birds can't taste it and don't care, but it deters the squirrels pretty well. That'd be my recommendation for a fairly simple solution.

[dverna]

PCP with suppressor.

[Mr_Sheesh]

CCI .22 Long CB caps (same thing as Colibri powderless ammo basically) or a pellet rifle will do it, I think of this as less being "bird police" and more as a target rich environment :)

[higgins]

I have an older version of this one. It still works
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Perky-Pet-Brown-Metal-Tube-Bird-Feeder/1001074386

We have plenty of ground feeding birds, so spilled seed doesn't go to waste.

[lightman]

I just let them eat unless they start tearing stuff up. They are cold too. There are plenty of birds that will eat the seeds off of the ground. Coons will tear a feeder up and they get trapped and relocated.

[porthos]

i put out bird seed and let the squirels eat what they want. seed is cheap. live and let live

[fiberoptik]

If your intention is to feed the birds, I would feed the birds and eat the squirrels. Squirrel season is open here for those who might wonder.

+1! Fatten them up & invite to dinner [emoji899]!


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[1I-Jack]

Reading all this reminds me of my grandfather. He'd be sitting in the sunroom and see a squirrel raiding his birdfeeder. Quick as a whistle he'd be out the back door with his home made slingshot. Always was amazed at how accurate he was with a slingshot made out of a "Y" shaped stick and two 3/4" wide rubber bands. Thanks for the memory.

[fiberoptik]

I used to feed the squirrels bird seed. Kept it in a plastic litter pail. I didn’t get up early enough for him, so he chewed a hole in the pail and A chunk out of the decks top board. He also decided that we were hiding valuable nuts under the wife’s flowers in clay pots. Would pull out the plant and knock down the pot and break it. Also liked stripping my cherry tree and mulberries. Then he chewed through my soffit and got into the house, found it between my ceiling and drop ceiling. Chewed a whole into the drop ceiling, coming out dropped my kerosene lamp, spilling it everywhere. My Sheridan took him out in between ceilings. His buddy got into the kitchen and destroyed my bread right before I went to make a sandwich. Sheridan again. Revenge was a dish best served with squirrel gravy and biscuits!


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[375supermag]

Hi...
I put out bird seed throughout the winter months.
Doesn't bother me if the squirrels eat some too. The squirrels do spill a lot on the ground but the birds don't mind eating the seeds off the ground.
The Labs like watching the squirrels at the feeder and they like chasing them off the deck.
Then the squirrels stare them down from the trees.

[10-x]

278154Had tree rat problems til built a large flat try below feeder to keep them out. Put Ben Gay on pole, lol watching them jumping around .

[contender1]

Bird feeders.

One of my bread & butter items for my business.

I'm a State certified Animal Damage Control Agent. I fix problems when people have animal issues. Bird feeders ATTRACT squirrels as well as all kinds of wildlife. NOT just the birds.

Birds are messy. Seed hits the ground. seed hulls hit the ground. Insects enjoy the fertile ground from decomposing seed hulls. Other critters like mice, rats, moles, skunks, possums, coons, all enjoy dropped seed. Bears, deer & other critters love seed as well.
Next,, you have the predators like snakes, coons, foxes, coyotes, raptors etc that also feed off the critters that come to feeders.

And the squirrels. Both the common grays or foxes,, but also the nocturnal flying squirrels.

And when a feeder is close to the house,, or mounted on the house,,,, WHERE DO YOU THINK THE CRITTERS GO TO EAT SEED SAFELY? Quite often,, INSIDE YOUR HOUSE! Or,, when a free easy food source is found,, where do the critters want to live? NEAR the food source,, and that is ALSO INSIDE YOUR HOUSE.

Mice, squirrels, are the two most common to mover into homes. Then,, the snakes follow THEIR food source,, into YOUR home. I have convinced many people to move or even remove bird feeders AFTER the wifey has found a black snake inside the home.

On my books right now,, I have (7) squirrel jobs ongoing. Of these,, (6) have bird feeders either on the house, or right next to it. On place,, they have a total of (18),, yes,, 18 bird feeders or feeding stations. And when I pointed out the reasons they have flying squirrels,, the lady of the house is refusing to modify how she has the feeders.

ALL animals exhibit the typical democrat attitude. When offered free stuff,,, they want it and want more. Offer free food, they move in or close by. And their relatives also find it and do the same. And when they move into homes,, they don't pay rent, taxes, and often cause damages. Plus,, they get upset when evicted. BUT the animals can & will adapt to changes easier than the democratic sponges who want the government to keep giving to them. (Ok,, I shared the same stuff with my Congressman and he thought it was quite funny! Political comments are over.)

Seriously,, a bird feeder is an enabler for animals and it only causes more problems than it helps.
Animals adapt to their environment. When food is plentiful,, animals move close by, and breed. When food is scarce, the animals have to hunt harder for it, and they don't have as many offspring. That's Mother Nature.

Fighting squirrel issues in bird feeders is an ongoing issue, and many companies have sold all kinds of
"squirrel proof" types of feeders,, that may or may not work.

Now,, DougGuy has mentioned an owl decoy. But a VERY KEY important item he mentions is TRUE. You MUST,, MUST,, move the owl daily,, or the squirrels can & will learn it's a fake. I have video of a squirrel, who made her den inside the ceiling of a cabin's bathroom, where a plastic owl decoy was mounted nearby on a porch rail. The gray squirrel ignores it, and actually hops across it to move along the railing. Then there are the decoy's I've gotten from customers,, where the eyes have been chewed out by squirrels attacking the plastic owl.

So,, while many see the gray squirrels on or in bird feeders,, the bigger problem for home owners in my business is the flying squirrels.
I get 1 gray squirrel problem in homes vs 40-50 flying squirrel problems.

So,, what do you do about the squirrel issues.

My first recommendation is to NOT even have bird feeders.
Next,, if you must have them, place them away from homes,, near trees,, where the animals use the trees vs your homes as cover or dens.
Catch pans to catch debris or spilled seed keeping it off the ground reduces problems.
Taking feeders inside at night reduces some issues.

But the best way to have a bird feeder just for the birds and to help prevent squirrel problems is as follows.
You have to overcome the abilities of the squirrels.
Put a 1" - 2" diameter sturdy pole in the middle of a yard,, at least 15 ft away from ANYTHING in all directions, that a squirrel can use as a launch platform to jump from. The pole must be at least 8 ft above ground level or more.
Next, the metal pole MUST have 2-3 of the inverted cone shaped deflectors mounted on the pole. BUT the key to them working the best,, is to mount them with a 3 point light spring system, where they move a bit,, helping prevent the squirrels from getting a claw purchase on the edges or whatever if they leap to it.
Follow that with a constant application with a very slippery grease on the pole at all times. From a few feet off the ground,, all the way to the top.

Your actual feeder must have a rigid hook system for hanging,, and the top of the pole must have a sturdy hook to hang the feeder from. You will need a rigid pole to remove the feeder for filling, AND daily removal. Remove it daily to prevent night critters from getting into it. And a large catch pan under the feeder will prevent a lot of seed & debris from hitting the ground. I recommend a 12" pan mounted to the base of a 3" diameter based feeder. The bigger the base of the feeder,, the bigger the catch pan.

An alternative method to prevent the squirrels from climbing the pole,, is to use a low voltage electric shocking system,, but remember,, the animal must be able to "ground" itself,, for the electric system to work. Think like how an electric fence works.

Squirrels are smart,, and have proven many times over in various "tests" how they can overcome much of the methods PEOPLE think would prevent them from getting to a feeder. You have to (a) think like the animal, (b) look at the animals abilities AND it's inabilities, (c) use it's inabilities to your favor in working on a preventive solution.

In my business,, I only do the work on homes to stop squirrels from entering the home. I seal all potential entry points,, and also do an exclusion. Basically, fixing a temporary one way exit method,, allowing the squirrels to get out,, but not re-enter. I allow them to exit, naturally, then I later return, remove my exclusion device, and seal things there. My sealant methods are designed to prevent future entry & properly seal things against weather and critters.

Gosh I love bird feeders & the folks who use them! :D

[SSGOldfart]

Yep we feed birds and squirrels,then eat the squirrels when in season. Best advice is 22LR if possible where your at.

[smoked turkey]

I offer many thanks to those who responded to my original post. I certainly enjoyed reading through them. I watched the amazing YouTube from Cast outlaw of the brilliant guy who made the most amazing obstacle course in his back yard trying to outsmart the little varmints. He basically came to the conclusion that the little devils are pretty smart. Yesterday the wife and I went to Walmart and purchased another $9-20# bag of seed to see the little creatures through this last (we hope)bit of cold weather. I do wish our oldest son and his wife had not gotten us a bird feeder for Christmas. We have installed it at a convenient place for us so that it is simple for us to go out the back door to the deck and remove the feeder at night and/or fill it. I can see that it would be more ideal if the feeder were placed in the middle of the yard on a lone pole. But servicing it daily would not be something I want to do. I am just shooing the squirrels away and am not longer shooting them. I guess the squirrels have won the last round for now at least.

[gwpercle]

Feed the squirrels .
I had two bird feeders ... added a squirrel feeder ... Now Everybody's Happy !

I cobbled one together that holds three ears of dried corn ... by the time the squirrels have eaten the corn the birds have eaten all the bird feed .

Don't fight em ... feed em
Gary

[Dunross]

Mix a few healthy shakes of powdered red pepper into the bird seed.

Birds do not feel the heat from the pepper, but the squirrels sure do.

[Geezer in NH]

I just let the Jack Russel Terrier out. (the exercise is good for her) She rids us of the SQ's, turkeys, foxes and want's to chase the bears, coons and coyotes also (not good)

I do shoot the red squirrels off but the grays are game animals I love to hunt so leave them to the dog. They are as joyful to watch as the birds sometimes more.

[jdm2691]

i put out bird seed and let the squirels eat what they want. seed is cheap. live and let live

^^^ this

[cas]

My squirrel feeders keep them out of the bird feeders.

We feed birds... birds that can fly half way around the world. But get mad a pedestrian squirrels that can't go far at all.

[monadnock#5]

I love the birds. I hate to see any of them go missing. If I knew what to do to bring the Orioles, Scarlet Tanagers and Rose Breasted Grosbeaks back I'd do it in a heart beat, without any interest in F&G's position on the subject. There's a tiny brown bird in the area, smaller than a Chickadee and lacking any distinctive markings. I might live long enough to ID it. I've seen two pair of Red Breasted Nuthatchs this winter. They're the first pairs I've seen in many years. I'm very pleased about this.

Bushy tailed tree rats, not so much. They're welcome to what the birds spill and live in the woods.

[gwpercle]

The squirrels are fun to watch . Not protected . Not endangered . Reproduce prolifically .
Taste Good if they start getting too many or too damaging . Lots of good recipes .
I like squirrels .
Gary

[Jeff Michel]

I quit complaining about squirrels when the deer started to show up.

[rockrat]

monadnock#5----sounds like it might be a variety of wren

[monadnock#5]

monadnock#5----sounds like it might be a variety of wren

Now that I have the time, I'll have to get my 35mm camera and stake out the lilacs. They're nervous, don't hang around long, but aren't so timid that they avoid other birds.

[Geezer in NH]

Patrick McManus, bird watcher expert calls them "Little drab brown birds"

[monadnock#5]

That pretty much nails it.

[shaune509]

Meepps pays a bounty on squirrel tail.
Shaune509

[legend 550]

I'm enjoying watching the birds at our new bird feeder. Currently we have about 30 birds of all kinds feeding from it. Since the weather has been so bad with temps on either side of zero for several days, along with a foot of snow, I actually think we are helping the little creatures out. The squirrels have also found the feeder as well. Unfortunately they seem to be taking way more than their share of seed. They spill as much on the ground as they eat. I can't seem to let nature take it's course and so I've ended up being the bird feeder police. I've killed four of the little varmints so far. My question is what would you do if the feeder was in your back yard? Would you let if be our would you police it?

Mix cyan pepper in your bird seed. To birds it tastes sweet to a rodent or deer it's like having a fire in your nose and mouth. also keeps dogs and cats and rabbits out of places you don't want them, just sprinkle on the ground in the area.