Types of Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder
Baffle
Although an admittedly bizarre name for a bird feeding product, baffles do exactly what they say on the tin as they are in essence a confusing obstacle that squirrels are unable to figure out!
Attached to the top or bottom of the feeder, their conical shape prevents squirrels from accessing food through climbing and so only creatures of flight are able to find their way to the feed!
Weighted Access
Using a clever platform mechanism, these seed feeders will lock when they feel the weight of a particularly chunky squirrel. This means smaller birds are free to feast away at their treasure trove and squirrels will be unable to bully them off their perch.
Cages
Sometimes the simplest methods are the most effective. Cage bird feeders are just that, cages which keep squirrels from reaching the central feeder.
Spinners
Probably the funniest design in terms of the spectacle they create, spinning designs feature a weighted, electric-powered perch which begins to revolve incredibly quickly once a squirrel jumps on board. Watch in amazement as they hang on tight and hope to ride it out in the name of some tasty nuts. But of course, there is never any end in sight.
Standard Preventive Design
Some squirrel proof bird feeders don’t feature any fancy design or innovative measure, they’re just designed to be incredibly difficult for rodents to gain sufficient access.
More often than not these designs feature small openings that feasibly only beaks can fit through. However, as you can imagine these are nowhere near the most effective and a seriously cunning squirrel might be able to sneak a few nuts!
Things To Consider
Feed Type
If you like attracting birds during the winter, you’ll be well aware that things like fat balls are a far more enticing and useful option for birds than simple seed. You, therefore, need to be careful when purchasing a squirrel proof feeder and make sure that it can not only accommodate your chosen seed but that the food is not too large to be accessed through the small openings.
Strength & Durability
Squirrels are quite tenacious when they want to be and if they think they can get access to food by simply breaking down the feeder’s material through chewing – they will.
It’s therefore wise to purchase bird feeders made of a material they won’t be able to simply destroy. Try and avoid basic plastic models and go for metallic designs as squirrels will be unable to wear these down effectively with just their teeth!
Easy Cleaning
Bird feeders need to be cleaned every so often to ensure they remain sanitary for birds and so you might want to make sure that doing so is a simple process.
You should be able to quickly and efficiently disassemble a bird feeder to get scrubbing every nook and cranny!