These tactics will keep squirrels from hogging all the food from your feathered friends.
Bird feeders aren’t meant to be “all wildlife” feeders—but those sneaky squirrels somehow seem to weasel their way in for a feast. Luckily, there are some strategies you can use to keep the squirrels off of your bird feeder once and for all—without hurting the little critters, either. Try these kinder, gentler tactics that’ll ensure birds get their fill at your feeder—without harming squirrels in the process.
Meet Our Expert
- Theresa Rooney, Hennepin County master gardener and the author of The Guide to Humane Critter Control: Natural, Nontoxic Pest Solutions to Protect Your Yard and Garden
01 of 08
Place Bird Feeders Where They’re Hard to Reach
The best and easiest way to keep squirrels out of the bird feeder: ensure that it’s placed so it’s difficult or impossible for them to reach it. Trees—which are squirrels’ favored territory—are a no-go. You may want to measure your location by the five-seven-nine rule to keep the squirrels at bay. By placing your bird feeder more than five feet off the ground, more than seven feet away from a tree or other structure, and more than nine feet below a house or branch overhang, you make it as hard as possible for them to reach the bird seeds.
Tips
There is one issue with this rule—ideally, you also want to place a bird feeder near shrubs, where songbirds can quickly hide from any raptors that appear, Rooney says.
02 of 08
Choose a Squirrel-Proof Feeder
There are several different types of squirrel-proof bird feeders that use feats of engineering to prevent squirrels and other wildlife from accessing the food. Tube feeders only allow birds to reach the seed, as squirrels aren’t able to fit their heads or paws into the spaces. Some use cages or mesh around the feeder to deter squirrels in the same way. Others close up shop if something too heavy (like a squirrel) makes its way onto the feeder. Rooney recommends looking for a feeder made of very thick plastic or heavy metal that will make it hard for squirrels to chew through or otherwise damage your feeder.
03 of 08
Clean Up Spilled Bird Food Promptly
The dribs and drabs of seed that spill from your bird feeder can bring all the squirrels to your yard—and encourage them to look around for (and try to get to) the source. By keeping the area beneath your feeder seed-free, squirrels are less likely to discover it.
Tips
Fallen birdseed can also become a mulch that impacts plant growth beneath it, so cleaning up the seeds will also benefit your lawn or garden…