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A bird feeder is a great way to attract your favorite feathered friends to the garden, guaranteeing hours of bird-watching entertainment. Unfortunately, the seed you use can also attract hungry squirrels, scaring away birds and forcing you to constantly replenish the feeder with wild bird feed. So if you want to stop squirrels from eating the food you're offering your birds, you have several options.

How Can You Protect Bird Feeders Against Squirrels?

It’s no doubt if you feed birds in your backyard you spend a fair amount of time trying to keep the squirrels from raiding the bird feeder. In the 29 years as owner of the Wild Bird Habitat Store’s I could write a book full of customers' antidotes of successes and failures along with attempts to trap and relocate squirrels. Let’s face it. Squirrels have from sun-up to sun-down to test our patience as they outsmart us with great success. So I’d like to focus on several methods to get the upper hand.

SQUIRREL BAFFLES:

Squirrel baffles, when installed properly, are one of the best tools in your arsenal. Just remember, all baffles are not the same. In fact some only baffle a squirrel long enough for him to conquer it for a free meal.

A HANGING SQUIRREL BAFFLE needs to be 14 inches in diameter. That’s the maximum length a squirrel can stretch out. Otherwise, they will hang on the baffle’s center with hind legs while reaching past the baffle to grab the feeder.  Make sure the bird feeder with a hanging baffle is 7 to 8 feet from a low-hanging branch, window seal, garden furniture, or fence. They have a maximum horizontal leap of 8 feet. They’ll simply leap over to the bird feeder. And make sure the bottom of the bird feeder is minimum of 4 feet above the ground. Squirrels have a 4-foot vertical leap allowing then to just jump up and grab the feeder. Note: Make sure the feeder you cover with a 14” diameter squirrel baffle does not protrude past the edge of the baffle. A sly squirrel will just slide off the baffle and grab hold of the feeder on the way down.

POLE BAFFLES

POLE/POST SQUIRREL BAFFLES, when properly installed, provide excellent protection from those daylight robbers. Polebaffles today will fit every square or round pole from 1/2” up to 2”. 

Split squirrel pole baffles are easily attached to any 1/2” shepherd’s crook, and round poles up to 13/4”. You don’t even need to remove the bird feeder to mount it.

 

My best recommendation is our SB1, considered the world’s best squirrel baffle. Design as a steel cylinder it will fit some shepherd crooks that have removable hooks as ours do, or any pole up to 2” in diameter. Our SB4 not only keeps squirrels at bay but hungry raccoons as well.

4 X 4 POST SQUIRREL BAFFLES - I prefer mounting my bird feeders on 4 X 4 wooden posts. We have an SB2

 squirrel baffle designed to fit over a4 X 4 post. I like the more natural look of wood as opposed to steel.

When installing a post/pole mounted squirrel baffle make sure the top of the baffle is between 46” and 48” from the ground. Remember squirrels have a 4-foot vertical leap. Any lower, and they will just jump on top the baffle for an easy dinner. Again make sure the post/pole is at least 7 to 8 feet from anything they can vertically launch themselves from to reach the bird feeder. Use only steel baffles, preferably powder coated to prevent rust. Squirrels catch get a grip on steel.

Additional resources:  MORE ABOUT SQUIRREL BAFFLES          INSTALLING A SQUIRREL BAFFLE

SQUIRREL PROOF BIRD FEEDERS

Just as man has always sought to build a better mousetrap, the same is true with squirrel proof bird feeders. I’ve seen many designs come and go over the years. But only a few manufacturers have achieved designing squirrel proof bird feeders that have with stood the test of time. Most are weighted where the weight of a squirrel, usually 4 lbs, will close access to the wild bird feed. Others have collapsible perches that will not support the weight of a squirrel. Still others are shrouded in cages to keep not just squirrels out, but marauding blackbirds as well. Our full line of squirrel proof bird feeders have been proven successful against squirrels. These squirrel proof bird feeders are durable, lasting for years. Many of them come with a 5 year to lifetime warranty and replacement parts are available. SQUIRREL PROOF BIRD FEEDERS

Our line of  BROME BIRD CARE SQUIRREL PROOF BIRD FEEDERS has shown great success at deterring squirrels. Brome’s products includes: several squirrel proof seed tube bird feeders, a Nyjer thistle bird feeder, and peanut and suet bird feeder. 

SAFFLOWER SEED

When all else fails, or you just can’t deter the squirrels from you bird feeders, try feeding the traditional white safflower seed or the hybridized Nutra-safflower, also known as golden safflower' seed. 99.9% of squirrels will not eat it, but safflower attracts a great assortment of backyard birds. Nutra-safflower seed from my experience attracts the largest variety of backyard birds. It has become our #1 single selling wild

 bird feed. Not only do most squirrels dislike safflower seed, blackbirds are not fond of it either. Just make sure you don’t mix another type of wild bird feed with it. Use safflower as a single wild bird feed in any style of bird feeder. Yes! Go ahead and hang the bird feeder filled with safflower in a tree. You’ll be delighted with the results.   

Just remember there are always going to be those rogue squirrels that will do the remarkable stunts it takes to get to the feeder and prove me wrong. Often it might be as simple as a rock near the feeder that gives them the edge to jump past a baffle. But from my years of experience if you follow any of these guidelines you’ll have squirrel free bird feeders.


When you need specialty seeds or squirrel-proof bird feeders, visit Wild Bird Habitat Store in Lincoln, NE. This locally owned shop has been serving the community since 1993, helping people discover the joys of bird watching. Their knowledgeable team can advise you on everything from what type of bird seed to buy to how to contribute to bird-related environmental conservation. Visit them online to browse their selection of products, and call (402) 420-2553 to speak with a team member about your needs.

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