Squirrel proof bird feeders

Keep the squirrels off the picture

People feed small birds because they enjoy watching them and listening to their tweet.  Feeding wild birds is a way to attract them in the proximity of one’s garden and enjoy watching them in the comfort of one’s home. People who feed birds are usually bird watching enthusiasts too.  The devices (bird feeders) they use, whether home made or commercially manufactured are very diverse. Starting with a simple tray feeder placed on the top of a poll and ending with sometime complicated devices with selective access. Many bird feeding stations also include a bird bath and a container with grit – a necessary supplement for the bird’s digestive tract. 

Types of bird feeding stations

To be considered good a bird feeding station should have the capacity to store large amount of bird food so it is not necessary to top it up daily. It should be also easy to refill and clean. Most of the bird feeders are created around, or in combination of three basic types.

Open (tray) feeders
This is the simplest type of bird feeder. It is a platform with shallow side boards forming a container which is filled with food. It is rather mounted at the end of a poll or suspended on a cradle from a branch of a tree. The disadvantages of the tray feeder are that it is accessible to unwanted big spices of birds and of course to squirrels.

Tube bird feeders
These feeders are specifically designed for feeding of small birds. They are relatively large tube shaped containers with many feeding ports with appropriate perches allowing the birds to access the food directly from the tank. Although small sized perches are creating inconvenience for big birds the common tube feeders are no obstacle for the crafty squirrel.

Hoppers
Hopper feeders are combination between the two types of feeders described above. Here the container is placed in the middle of a platform. The birds are perching on the edge of the platform while feeding from the container in the middle. There are hundreds of designs based on this principle sharing the common vulnerability towards squirrel attempts.
 

Squirrel proof bird feeders

The bird feeding devices are placed outside, best in isolated parts of the garden, where the birds can access the food without interfering with the space of people and pets. Unfortunately other animals, wild and semi domesticated are also fond of the seeds and nuts stored in the bird feeding station. No one want to attract rats and crows in one’s living space, so precautions must be taken that the food is accessible only to the “right” kind of birds and discourage all unwanted meal candidates to try to reach it. Choosing the right position for the feeding station is the first prerequisite for success.  Hanging it from a tree branch high above the ground and away from walls will eliminate most non flying competition. Unfortunately this is not enough to stop the squirrels helping themselves. These crafty little rascals not only feed there, they also carry food to store in their borrows which makes them the nuisance number one in the bird feeding activity.  This is why many designs of squirrel proof bird feeders has been developed giving the bird enthusiast great choice. One way of selective access is by collapsible perch. The excessive weight of a squirrel or bigger bird causes the perch to collapse and deny access to the seeds. In another model the excessive weight is closing the feeding ports , leaving the squirrel rather confused. In most models the spring operating the collapse is adjustable allowing the owner to tune the critical weight. The new models are also easy to disassemble and wash and some are even dishwasher save.

Another squirrel proof bird feeder concept is the caged bird feeder. Here the food container is placed in the middle of a cage and the selection is determined by the size of its gaps. Small birds can comfortably pass and feed while bigger birds and squirrels are kept out. The caged squirrel proof bird feeder is simple and very effective being without small or moving parts. It is however not favourite among the bird watchers since the cage is partially obstructing the view while the birds are inside.

Squirrel proof bird feeders are viable and permanent solution. The commercially manufactured feeding stations offered below have high level of effectiveness, practicality and aesthetic appeal.

Open bird feeder

Tube bird feeder

Hopper bird feeder

Watch how it works!

Common types of commercially manufactured bird feeders