The only other solution to warding off squirrels is to make your feeders inaccessible to them. (If you try this around your house, fasten the board where people can't fall on the spikes!) Commercially made cob feeders are also available.
The corn will help occupy your squirrels and maybe even your jays. Try impaling a few ears of corn on some large spikes driven through a length of board, placed far away from your bird feeders.
The simplest approach is to provide squirrels with something they like better than bird seed. Nevertheless, if squirrels are eating up all your seed and keeping birds away from your feeders, there are some potential solutions.
And you know how we now deal with squirrels? The number of folks feeding birds has increased from several hundred thousand to more than 60 million. Feeding houses have given way to tubes, domes, and bubbles. The old wooden feeder has been replaced by one made of space age plastic. That was 25 years ago, and during that time, bird feeding has come of age. And usually the second time it would negotiate the barrier with ease. It would hit the ground with a thwump, catch its breath, then climb back up to try again. Sometimes one would misjudge - no big deal. You probably know what happened at this juncture, too: the squirrels merely jumped over the baffles. As I recall, the first baffles were old phonograph records later models were made of aluminum flashing. The acrobatic animal would simply continue on, hand over hand. Occasionally one would slip and flip upside down - no problem. But a couple days more and one, then two, and finally whole squadrons of squirrels learned how to walk the tightrope, tails outstretched for balance. For a day or two the birds fed with impunity as the squirrels sat on nearby branches and scratched their heads in thought. So, dad hung the feeder on a wire suspended between two trees. They were fun to watch, but they emptied the feeder in a matter of minutes, and they kept the birds away. The furry creatures - gray squirrels, we had - simply shinnied up the pole, hooked onto the tray with their front feet, then heaved themselves over the edge. But you know what I remember best? Squirrel wars.Īt first our feeder was mounted on a pole, which was no deterrent to squirrels whatsoever. And I can still see its common clientele tufted titmice, black capped chickadees, and common grackles, which my best friend insisted were ravens. In my mind's eye I can see it still a wooden house with sloped roof, glass sides, and a wide feeding tray. I was twelve years old the day my dad first put up a bird feeder.
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