How to Feed Birds Without Attracting Squirrels

Attracting birds is fun and educational. There’s no easier way to become aware of the diversity of birds around us than to set up a bird feeder in your yard and look at it from time to time. You don’t have to hike into the hills or lug a spotting scope to the shore: the birds simply appear outside your window, changing with the seasons. But many people are discouraged from feeding birds for fear that squirrels (or raccoons, rats, or mice) will eat food meant only for those with wings. You don’t have to. There are many ways to attract birds—and only birds.

A brief opening disclaimer is in order on behalf of messy and unprotected bird feeders: No bird feeder actually creates a squirrel or rodent population out of thin air. On the contrary, what bird feeders have the potential to do is make our existing animal populations—whether birds or mammals—more visible. The single greatest determinant of the size of a yard’s rodent population is the availability of suitable habitat. Removing access to shelters in buildings, crawl spaces, or brush piles, and reducing the amount of ivy and other low ground cover will be far more effective in preventing an excessive rodent population than dismantling a bird feeder while leaving all of these larger factors unaddressed.

That said, there’s no reason why your bird-attracting efforts should be accessible to every four-legged creature that comes along. First, there are a number of bird-attracting methods that are virtually never a problem from a squirrel or rodent perspective: Hummingbird feeders, birdbaths, and birdhouses are generally ignored by mammals. All three of these bird-attracting methods are inherently low-mess, of limited interest to mammals, and rarely cause problems.

Attract woodpeckers and other animals with spicy suet that deters squirrels. (Courtesy of Wild Birds Unlimited)

There are other foods that are of little or no interest to mammals. White millet can be offered to ground-feeding birds such as sparrows, towhees, doves and quail, while safflower can be offered in hanging feeders to house finches, chickadees, titmice and others – squirrels generally leave them alone. Nyjer can be offered to finches and siskins – squirrels and rodents generally dislike it. For the more adventurous, mealworms can be placed to attract insectivorous birds such as bluebirds and various other species, without attracting the attention of quadrupeds. One of the more flexible options is the addition of hot pepper, which discourages taste-sensitive mammals without affecting the birds. Spicy versions of suet cakes or bulk seed mixes can easily replace standard bird foods.

Another easy-to-implement option is to use a squirrel-proof seed feeder. There are two main varieties: feeders with a weight-sensitive spring mechanism that closes off access to the food when heavier animals climb aboard, and feeders with an external cage that only small songbirds can enter. Both can be good choices, depending on what you’re trying to exclude. Weight-sensitive feeders will exclude squirrels, rats, and large birds like pigeons or crows, but will usually allow medium-sized birds like jays or robins to feed. Caged feeders will exclude squirrels and medium-sized birds, but are not a reliable defense against small rodents.

The best solution is to build a squirrel-proof feeder. This is usually a freestanding pole with one or more arms to hang the feeders from and a “baffle,” a metal disk that wraps around the pole to prevent mammals from climbing up to the feeders. For this method to be effective, you need to have some clearance around the pole: an overhanging tree branch, for example, will provide squirrels with an alternate path to the feeders that will compromise the effectiveness of the baffle. But if you have such a location, this type of solution is ideal because it gives you the freedom to offer as many types of food as you want, in the feeders you want, without having to worry about each feeder being squirrel-proof. Of course, it’s always a good idea to choose low-mess foods like hulled sunflower seeds, suet, and hummingbird feeders to avoid leaving edible scraps on the ground under the post.

Have you seen the orioles and grosbeaks flying through your yard right now? Are you aware of the crowned sparrows, which will arrive next month? Set up suitable feeders and you can do it – without ever leaving home.

Jack Gedney’s On the Wing takes place every other Monday. He is co-owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Novato and author of “The Private Lives of Public Birds.” He can be reached at [email protected].

Originally published: August 26, 2024 at 05:36