Want to feed the birds but not the squirrels? Here’s how

IHAVE long had a problem with grey squirrels. They feast on birdseed in trays, play acrobatics to jump on fat ball feeders and make light work of scaling metal poles to steal the peanuts from my bird feeders.

So, is there really a squirrel-proof feeder which works?

Matthew Tume, RSPB product manager of birdcare and optics, says that in reality, no product on the market is totally squirrel-proof.

“Squirrels are very intelligent and very determined, and they will find ways around things.”

However, Rachel Schofield, of birdfood and wildlife product specialist CJ Wildlife, says: “There’s a great number of really good squirrelproof feeders on the market, as far as adult squirrels are concerned. Juveniles, however, can squeeze through protective cages.”

WHAT MATERIAL SHOULD YOU GO FOR?

“Metal and preferably powdercoated. Plastic feeders won’t last very long. You can buy protective cages for many feeders, but it’s cheaper to buy an integrated unit,” says Schofield.

“Squirrels can chew through plastic ports, so we would recommend you use metal feeders, rather than plastic ones,” Tume agrees.

WHAT ABOUT BIRDSEED?

You’re best off with a ‘no waste’ seed mix, says Schofield, which will help deter pigeons and squirrels from picking up the discarded husks which smaller birds deposit on to the ground. You can buy huskless seeds and sunflower hearts.

WHERE SHOULD I PUT THE FEEDERS?

“Set them away from jumping-off points, such as fences and hanging trees. However, there is a balance. You want your feeders to have a degree of cover, as the further out in the open they are, the easier it is for predators – such as birds of prey – to spot them,” says Tume.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER WAYS TO DETER SQUIRRELS?

Some people suggest dusting the birdseed with chilli powder or hot sauce like Tabasco, which apparently doesn’t bother the birds, but the squirrels don’t like the spice, says Tume. Others recommend smearing your bird feeder poles with Vaseline to stop the squirrels climbing up them.

Or, you could put up a squirrel feeder at the other end of the garden, away from your bird station, and give visiting squirrels some peanuts of their own, especially if you are lucky enough to have a red squirrel.

WHICH SQUIRREL DETERRENTS SHOULD I CONSIDER?

Squirrel baffles are plastic domes which fit either over the bird feeder, or half way up the pole if you are securing the feeder from the ground, but under the feeding stations.

They aim to prevent squirrels from descending on to or climbing up to the feeders.

“If they manage to climb on to the baffle, the baffle often rocks the squirrels loose, so they fall off,” says Tume.

TRIED & TESTED

The Squirrel Guard Baffle (£19.99, CJ Wildlife, birdfood.co.uk)

This cone did stop the squirrels from climbing up to reach the feeder, but one managed to get on to the feeder from above, and then accessed the food. However, once I’d moved the pole away from tall shrubs and trees from which it could gain access, the baffle worked very well.

TRIED & TESTED

The Squirrel Buster Peanut Birdfeeder (£49.99, widely available from stockists including the RSPB)

I made the mistake of hanging this weighted feeder from a bracket on my garden fencepost, which enabled the squirrel to access the peanuts by taking its weight on its back legs on the fence and then gently placing its front paws on the feeder.

It didn’t manage to get much food though, as the feeder bobbed up and down as its weight distribution changed. Place the feeder in a clear space with no other balancing points nearby, and it will be much more effective.