5 Brilliant Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder Ideas

While there are many things you can do to beautify your landscape, sometimes the best tool you have is the natural environment, including wildlife. Bird feeding can bring all sorts of colorful species with their incredible songs to your yard. Unfortunately, with the addition of a birdhouse or feeder, you often get the unwelcomed intrusion of the hungry squirrel. If you want to protect your seed supply, consider installing any of the five following squirrel-proof bird feeder ideas. 

1. Squirrel Baffle

When attempting to defend your birdhouse and seed, you should follow the five-seven-nine rule. Essentially, you want to place your feeder five feet off the ground; and you want to position it seven feet away from any launching site. Finally, you want the feeder to be at least nine feet below any potential drop zone. By adding six inches to all those parameters, you can essentially prevent 100% of squirrels from accessing your feed. However, it would be best if you placed a squirrel baffle on your bird feeder pole in addition to these measurements. 

There are at least two types of baffles to help eliminate access from below the feeder: a traditional cone or torpedo design. Both models prevent a squirrel from gripping the pole and climbing to the bird food source, meaning your birds will not go hungry. 

2. Steel Housing

Many homeowners go wrong by installing wooden birdhouses on wooden poles. A squirrel can climb wood, and the animal is incredibly determined and motivated to find food. Squirrels will gnaw and claw their way into a wooden bird feeder, meaning if prevention is your goal, you might want to select a bird feeder made from a different material, like powder-coated steel. 

When using a metal birdhouse, you effectively prevent the squirrel from using its teeth or tiny paws. The material is non-porous and thereby smooth, not offering grip or traction. When a metal feeder is paired with baffles and a lockable container, the design is too complex for the animal. 

3. Slammer

A rather inventive bird feeder can be found with the Perky-Pet feeder. This feeder uses a design with a slammer. The slammer is a tube-like structure, which will slam down over the seed if a squirrel manages to get onto the tube feeder. There is no need to worry about the device sealing birds off from their food as it is spring-loaded and will only activate with the squirrel's weight. 

When the squirrel falls of or gives up and jumps down, the slammer will return to its original position, allowing the birds to return to eating. This squirrel proof bird feeder is helpful if you cannot follow the five-seven-nine rule discussed earlier. 

4. Sure-Lock and Seed Shield Defense

The Squirrel-Be-Gone feeder uses two devices to protect the housing from squirrel invasion and theft: sure-lock and seed shield defense. The sure-lock cap is a twist-on lid to ensure even the most aggressive and motivated critters cannot get inside. Additionally, each of the four feeding ports is protected with a weight-activated seed shield, which closes the ports when a squirrel climb aboard the feeder. 

While similar to the Perky-Pet slammer feeder, the Squirrel-Be-Gone can hold more birdseed and has a more robust build. The design is also more appealing than the slim plastic tube of the slammer. However, both feeders are valuable tools in the war against seed theft. 

5. Metal Cage

The Squirrel Stumper feeder by Perky-Pet is another beneficial squirrel-proof bird feeder design. It comes with a twist-lock lid to prevent easy access and includes a cage to provide a barrier around the feeder. However, cages will not prevent a squirrel from getting seeds if they do not expand far enough away from the feeder. So you might want to include a baffle and follow the five-seven-nine rule when installing your caged feeder in your backyard. 

One of the most effective tools for how to get rid of squirrels is to maintain a clean and well-manicured yard. In addition, you want to keep the ground under your feeder free of loose seed. If a squirrel finds food near the feeding station, it is more motivated to keep looking in that area. A determined squirrel can often find clever or unique ways to access food sources, even if you believe you have thought of everything. 

Many squirrel proof bird feeders are on the market, but you want to make sure the wild bird feeder you purchase will work for your specific problem before buying. Sometimes a simple wire cage will do the trick, but for the persistent squirrel, you might need to upgrade to weighted seed covers and locking lids. Thankfully, you are not alone in your decision; you can talk to the experts or review the squirrel-proof inventory at Max Warehouse. 
 

If you are a wild bird enthusiast, remember you might like to review our bird feeding collection. You can find suet cakes, black oil sunflower seed, nyjer seed, and more. There is no way you do not walk away with the bird feeding and home improvement products you need.