There are many squirrel proof bird feeders on the market today. Each one is designed for a specific purpose. Understanding these functions and how each one works will allow each customer to choose the right squirrel proof bird feeder for their own backyard
Do squirrel proof bird feeders really work? As long as we have been in business, this is probably the most commonly asked question. Customers have tried all the squirrel proof bird feeders on the market, yet the squirrels feast on the bird feeders all day long. What people do not realize is that each manufacturer has a different concept of what a squirrel proof bird feeder should accomplish during it's usage.
Some use only metal parts so that the squirrel proof bird feeders can not be damaged on sharp teeth. Some restrict access using wire cages, with the added benefit of keeping out large, nuisance birds. However, maybe you want large and small birds. We can help you understand how these feeders are designed and what the purpose of each one really is.
A properly designed squirrel proof bird feeder should thwart the average squirrel 95% of the time. That means less than 5% of the time the animals will successfully obtain a bird seed reward for their diligence. For most people, this is fine. However, some are not pleased with this result and, unfortunately, allow these small number of invaders spoil the marvelous hobby of backyard bird feeding. There are backyard birders who get a very high stress level at the mere sight of a squirrel.
Learning to enjoy all of nature in its glory simplifies this hobby tremendously. Birds have learned to live with squirrels and a successful backyard birder can too. When you provide free food for your birds, you are basically offering nourishment to any aspect of nature, including deer, fox, raccoons, and yes, squirrels.
Many of our customers use a humane trap and drive great distances to release these intruders into the wilds. We have one man who has trapped over 75 squirrels in the past two years and is still going strong. Oh well, it keeps him busy and he is having fun doing it. However, for most of us, living with a couple of squirrels is part of nature and we enjoy that as well.
There are a number of excellent squirrel proof bird feeders designed specifically to keep red, grey, and fox squirrels from monopolizing the bird seed. Each one can satisfy your desire to allow the birds to feed, but not the squirrels. Be sure to ask if any squirrel proof bird feeder is also designed to keep large birds off, you may not want that feeder.
Caged feeders are not all alike. Some have large openings that the bodies of small birds must enter to gain access to the seed feeder inside. Some cages that surround a feeder are weighted so that an animal's weight will cause the cage to lower, but birds do not set it off. Some cages are designed so that only the beaks of birds can pluck a seed from an inside chamber. Do not be fooled that one squirrel proof caged bird feeder is the same as all others.
Be sure to inform your local bird store about what squirrel proof bird feeder you are looking for. Don't have one near you? Then you have to check out http://www.wildbirddepot.com/ for the largest variety of feeders on the Internet. We can help you. Our blog, Bird Droppings, is always available for backyard birders.
