Consider this: The human brain weighs approximately 1400 grams, or roughly 3 pounds. A squirrel's brain weighs 6 grams, or about 1/150 as much. So in the age-old battle of bird lover versus squirrel, why is it so hard to get the upper hand and keep those persistent paws off the birdseed? And with all those smarts at our disposal, why is it such a challenge to build a squirrel-proof bird feeder?
Walk the aisles of any store selling feeders and you'll see that many have tried. Ask someone who feeds birds, however, and they may insist that many have failed. So to see if there really are any "squirrel-proof" feeders that deserve the billing, the editors of BWD decided to put some to the test. We started by contacting 38 bird feeder manufacturers and asking them to participate in a field test by sending their best squirrel-proof feeders. We then enlisted the help of a handful of BWD readers to test the feeders sent out by the 11 manufacturers that responded.
Because of the many variables involved (different birds, squirrels, vegetation, and weather) and the countless feeders on the market, we thought it unfair to compare feeders head to head. Instead, we asked our testers to share their observations to help you make an informed decision the next time you purchase a feeder. Our fearless five who dared to draw a line in the birdseed included two from southern California—a "big city" dweller who lives near downtown Los Angeles and a weekender at a cabin in the Cleveland National Forest—and three others from Tennessee, New Jersey, and New York. Their yards range in size from a small urban lot with a few trees to a forested 10-acre parcel in a rural setting. The birds they host include western scrub-jays and oak titmice (California) and red-bellied woodpeckers (New York). As for the squirrels crashing their parties, most are gray, although one of our testers has southern flying squirrels as her late-night party animals.
Before testing the feeders, we asked the participants to recount problems they'd had with squirrels in the past. Nancy Feagans spends her weekends in a rustic cabin situated at 2,500 feet in southern Orange County, California. Her yard features a massive coast live oak, several olive trees, oleanders, a few conifers, and lots of natural ground cover. During the past two years, Nancy has counted 38 bird species, plus countless "big, sleek" squirrels: "The squirrels chewed the hinges off one side of the platform feeder's mesh guard to get to the seeds and tore the roof off one of our hanging feeders. And they stretch themselves down from the branch and grab the tube feeder with their paws, drag it over, and shake the living daylights out of it until most of the seeds fall to the ground."
Diane Hamilton's biggest problem is that "the squirrels eat all the peanuts in the peanut feeder and often empty the sunflower seed out of the other hanging feeder." Diane, who lives about 12 blocks from Delaware Bay in New Jersey, has a small yard with several red cedars and an elm. In an attempt to lure the squirrels away from her bird feeders, she purchases squirrel food from the feed store and scatters in on the ground.
Jeff Webster, who lives in an older neighborhood about 12 miles from downtown Los Angeles, reports that "there is not one feeder in the yard the squirrels haven't messed with." They frequent Jeff's wooden hopper feeder and have chewed through several plastic tube feeders. And, because they're California residents, they also harvest avocados growing on a tree in Jeff's backyard.
Celeste Pilla lives in southeastern New York on an eight-acre lot that features wetlands, evergreens, anddeciduous trees. A long border of forsythias, wild roses, and dense thicket separates her backyard from the woods. The resident rodents have had little success with the squirrel-proof feeders already positioned in Celeste's yard, although they certainly have tried: "The squirrels chewed up a few of the wooden perches on one of the feeders and attempted to suck seeds out of the tiny openings on the bottom."
Gerry Stewart lives on 10 acres of partially forested land in rural Tennessee. She notes that the "very fat" gray squirrels sharing her piece of the woods make good use of the aerial highway system as they travel from feeder to feeder: "I feed suet in a simple cage attached to an oak tree outside my study. I used to have another one on the dogwood out front, but the squirrels broke it. Lately they haven't been jumping onto the one squirrel-proof feeder I already own, probably because they got too fat eating all the suet."
Although their yards and feeder set-ups differ, all five participants were excited about the opportunity to put their backyard squirrels on a weight-management plan. They welcomed the invitation to try out feeders of varying designs and record their observation of how effective each was in keeping squirrels away from the birdseed.
Feeder manufacturers have a variety of squirrel-proofing strategies in their arsenals, with most squirrel-proof feeders falling into one of three basic categories. Baffle-style feeder set-ups use some type of physical barrier to keep squirrels off the feeder altogether. Excluder-style feeders may allow the squirrel to get onto the feeder, but keep it from reaching the seed by using a weight-activated closure or wire caging. Ejection-style feeders physically remove the squirrel from the feeder by using a mechanism to dislodge the squirrel or some other device that causes discomfort (such as a mild electric shock).
Whatever the strategy, notes one manufacturer, there are several general guidelines that are used when designing squirrel-proof or squirrel-resistant feeders. First, manufacturers select materials that minimize the possibility of handhold (or clawhold) on the feeder's exterior. Chewable parts—including problem areas like exposed corners, plastic caps, and wooden feeder parts—are eliminated or kept to a minimum. Metal rivets are used to hold together and secure any moving parts. Beyond the design of the feeder itself, it is important to limit opportunities for squirrels to "shake, rattle, and feed." If the feeder is not solidly mounted or secured, squirrels will shake it until the seed scatters or the feeder breaks.
This feeder manufacturer added, however, that even when designed with these guidelines in mind, many feeders can be overtaken by squirrels—even those limited to "window shopping"—if they can reach the feeder by leaping, jumping, climbing, chewing, digging, or flying. Which includes nearly every means of locomotion at the wily rodents' disposal!
So what conclusions can be drawn from our feeder field test? First, that contrary to popular opinion, there really are "squirrel-proof" feeders on the market that live up to their billing.
"Someone on Bird Buzz [the BWD online discussion group] said she didn't believe there were any squirrel-proof feeders," says Gerry, "so she just accepts that she has to feed the squirrels, too. I used to have an attitude like that, but I don't think I'll ever go back to using non-squirrel-proof feeders."
The second thing demonstrated by our test is that part of the (squirrel) proof is in the "putting": where and how you position your feeders will likely determine how successful you'll be. As we had requested, our testers carefully reviewed and followed the manufacturer's recommendations for placement of the feeders. In a few cases, when enterprising squirrels started using the feeders as gym equipment, the field testers went back to the instructions and made recommended adjustments. Proving that, at least sometimes, it is possible to outfox a squirrel.
Lest you feel sorry for the squirrels, two members engage in "distraction feeding," offering food for the squirrels in a different location to lure them away from their bird feeders. Two others shared the following observations: "With these new feeders my yard is amazingly busy; in fact, there's so much activity at the feeders that the squirrels are super-active as they scavenge the seeds below." And yet another perspective many of you may share: "I live in the middle of a forest, and there's no way these squirrels can't make an honest living here." Judging by the effectiveness of many of the squirrel-proof feeders in our field test, that's just what they might have to do.
Read on for our field testers comments on these feeders.
by Heritage Farms
The Absolute (Model 7533) Feeder by Heritage Farms was highly rated by our tester. This feeder features an adjustable weight-activated perch that shuts off the seed flow when a squirrel sits on the perch or when a heavy bird alights. This feeder can be tree or pole mounted, and Nancy opted for pole mounting (pole sections are included with the feeder), positioning the feeder next to a hillside creek. She found the feeder to be effective in denying squirrels access to the food. Squirrels checked out the pole-mounted feeder but couldn't climb the smooth pole to reach it. She filled the feeder with a mix of black-oil sunflower seed, millet, and cracked corn. "Even if squirrels manage to reach the feeder from above, they slide off the top, and get tossed unceremoniously by the dropping perch, if they venture there," Nancy said. She noted that the feeder is sturdy and well-made with a large seed capacity (2.5 gallons) and that it fit in well with the ambience of her natural yard. Because Nancy wanted western scrub-jays to be able to use the feeder, she adjusted the spring tension so the Absolute would accommodate the heavier birds.
by Vari-Crafts
The Bouncer by Vari-Crafts received high marks from Celeste. The aptly named feeder has four counter-weighted perches that collapse under the weight of a squirrel, acting like a bouncer to keep undesirables out of the "establishment." In addition, the feeder's long tube prevents squirrels from hanging off the roof to access feeding ports located at the base. Celeste offered a sunflower mix in the Bouncer, that she hung from a bracket about four feet off the ground and about an equal distance from the tree trunk. Although she found scratch marks on the feeder's roof, she enthusiastically noted, "I have not seen any squirrels hanging on this feeder. This is a squirrel-proof feeder!" Although obviously pleased with the feeder's performance, she noted that she had not seen any cardinals, which are common in her yard, using the Bouncer. The literature enclosed with the feeder states that the "perches will only support your smaller songbirds and most cardinals as well." Perhaps the cardinals in Celeste's yard have plumped up at other feeders and are tipping the scale.
by Brome Direct
The third counter-weighted feeder tested, the Squirrel Buster II by Brome Direct, also lived up to its squirrel-proof billing. "I've seen as many as four birds at once on the perching ring," noted Nancy, "though only one western scrub-jay at a time will come and feed due to size and weight." Flanges above the feeding ports protect the seed during inclement weather. Nancy hung the feeder off an oak burl, approximately 7 feet off the ground and 20 inches out from the trunk. She found no evidence that squirrels had tried to access the food, composed of millet, black-oil sunflower seed, and cracked corn, reporting that they investigated the feeder from above but didn't try to get to the perching ring. Birds, however, bellied up to the feeder only 20 minutes after it was hung, with house finches, oak titmice, and white-breasted nuthatches as the first diners. As usual, dark-eyed juncos, white-crowned sparrows, California towhees, and band-tailed pigeons cleaned up on seed under the feeder.
by Droll Yankees
If a squirrel steps on the weight-activated perch of the Yankee Flipper (Model YF) by Droll Yankees, the ring spins, flipping the unwanted guest. Nancy followed the manufacturer's recommendations when positioning the feeder, hanging it from the branch of an olive tree, approximately six feet high and two feet away from the trunk. Her close examination of the Flipper showed no evidence of squirrel tampering. Although the feeder received high marks overall, she reported that rain got into the feeding ports, causing the seed in the area around the ports to clump (a common problem with tube feeder ports). The bulk of the seed, however, stayed perfectly dry.
by Woodlink
The Audubon Squirrel-Proof Tube Feeder by Woodlink, the first of several exclusion-style feeders, made a believer of Gerry. The Audubon consists of a tube with four feeding ports, surrounded by a wire cage that only allows small birds to access the seed. "Tough luck, squirrels!" was her observation, noting that squirrels made a few attempts to get at the seed and quickly gave up. One squirrel managed to pull the tube cap up, but gravity quickly pulled it back down. She added that she found the feeder, which is "rather reminiscent of an old-fashioned birdcage," to be especially attractive. The only negative she noted was that the feeder has a small capacity, which was mitigated, however, by the ease of filling the tube. Gerry offered a premium mixed seed that included black-oil sunflower and hulled seed, plus cherry bits.
by Arundale
The Sky Cafe by Arundale, which has a clear plastic dome protecting the seed, got high marks from Diane. "I like it, the birds like it, and the squirrels can't touch it!" She reported seeing a squirrel slide off the domed roof shortly after hanging it from a tree. The only negative she noted was that a lot of seed falls from the feeder onto the ground, but "that makes the sparrows and juncos happy."
by Barnhouse Iron
The Grizzly Forever Feeder (Model FBF7000) by Barnhouse Iron and Fabrication uses a heavy mesh tube to keep squirrels out and seed in. "This is an attractive feeder that is resistant to squirrel damage," noted Celeste However, she did observe squirrels clinging to the tube and eating residue that had fallen into the mesh tray. "They don't get much," Celeste added, "but they take up bird-intended space." The feeder can be hung, post-mounted, or attached to a deck rail. Celeste fed both sunflower and safflower seed in the feeder, which holds six quarts of seed.
by Duncraft
Jeff found the mesh "fencing" surrounding Duncraft's Squirrel-Blocker (Model 18834) to be a great perch for small birds, even woodpeckers, as well as an effective squirrel deterrent. Although they can cling to the mesh exterior, it is difficult for them to reach in and access seed. "It was fun to watch them climb the pole and try to get their little paws through to get the seeds, which they never did!" noted Jeff. He hung the feeder from a shepherd's hook in his California yard and fed a mix of black-oil and shelled sunflower seed. A "squirrel lock" on the top of the feeder prevents squirrels from getting into the seed cache, which holds 1 1/2 pounds of seed. "I would buy this feeder in a heartbeat," notes Jeff.
by S&K
The Skip-a-Skwirl feeder by S & K Manufacturing has a "high-tech, ingenious" design, as described by Nancy. The inner seed tray remains stationary while the acrylic outer housing quickly rotates, dislodging the unwanted squirrel. Nancy hung the feeder from the large limb of an oak tree, following the manufacturer's recommendations to position it at least two feet down and two feet out from the tree. "It took three weeks for the birds to discover it and figure out how to get through the open ends to the seeds in the tray inside." However, it often takes birds a while to discover a new food source, and three weeks is not an unusual length of time.
by CedarWorks
The Harvest Landing Squirrel-Proof feeder by CedarWorks is a heavy-duty feeder that is designed to give small birds access to the seed, but keep squirrels out. Unfortunately, Jeff reported that during the weeks he observed the feeder, he saw neither squirrels nor birds at the feeder's seed ports. "I put in four pounds of black-oil sunflower seed at the beginning of the field test, and it was still there weeks later." The feeder features a "pry-proof lid" and metal top, base, and seed ports.
by The Birding Company
The Station 8 Hanging Bird Feeder (Model # 78101) came equipped with an adjustable baffle to keep squirrels away from the feeder. Instead of pole mounting the feeder, Jeff hung it and filled it with mixed seed, safflower, sunflower hearts, and black-oil seed. "The squirrels tried to get to this feeder, but never did." A plug divides the seed reservoir into top and bottom compartments that can be filled with different types of seed. Jeff reported seeing American and lesser goldfinches and house finches use the feeder's eight ports. The bottom platforms are designed to accommodate cardinals, grosbeaks, and woodpeckers. "This is a good feeder for someone who wants to attract a variety of birds," notes Jeff, who hopes to see black-headed grosbeaks dining at the feeder in the future.
Feeder (Model WB-WB-8)
Wild Bill's Squirrel-Free Feeder (Model WB-WB-8) uses a mild static sting, generated by a battery, to repel squirrels; birds are not affected. Celeste hung the feeder from a bracket about three feet from the tree. After a week of observation, squirrels managed to climb down the bracket to the feeder; when they touched the metal, they received a sting and quickly jumped off. She did not observe another squirrel on the feeder during the remainder of her month-long observation. "This feeder is attractive, has a large capacity [10 pounds], offers eight feeding ports, and is truly squirrel-proof." Celeste also liked the catch tray on the bottom of the feeder that allows bigger birds, such as cardinals and red-bellied woodpeckers, to feed. The only drawback Celeste noted is that she had to clean snow and ice build-up from the metal parts of the feeder for it to work effectively.
by Sweeney
The Automated Bird Bistro by Sweeney uses a timer to dispense a programmed amount of food at a programmed time each day. "The idea is that the birds learn to come at a certain time and eat up the food in the tray, leaving none for hungry squirrels," notes Celeste. A metal guard is designed to prevent squirrels from raiding seeds contained in the feeder's storage area. Squirrels left the feeder alone for the first week of observation; after about two weeks, however, Celeste observed them jumping on and off the feeder tray "like it was a trampoline" and finishing food left by the birds. Per the manufacturer's recommendations, she moved the feeder farther from the tree trunk (from about two feet to seven feet) and adjusted the timer. Although it's still not entirely squirrel-proof, she reported that fewer squirrels used it in the new location. She dubbed the Bird Bistro "bird-friendly," reporting that birds, including a visiting red-bellied woodpecker, seemed to like the protected feeding space provided.