TOP WILD BIRD PRODUCTS
Various pests may try to get into your bird feeders. Squirrels are particularly difficult pests. They just LOVE bird seed. Not only do squirrels scare away birds, but it is a huge waste of bird seed! It can be an expensive habit to keep up. Here are a couple ways you can prevent squirrels from emptying your bird feeders:
Baffles:
Your first defense against squirrels should be baffles. Not only do baffles protect hanging bird feeders from squirrels, it can also protect the bird seed from rain and snow! Baffles hang over feeders like a dome, although some baffles may be placed below. The goal with a baffle is that the bird will not be able to find his way around it and onto the bird feeder.
I would recommend the Super Dome Squirrel Baffle, shown to the right, for your pest problems! It is the largest baffle on the market at 18 inches in diameter. This huge baffle minimizes the risk that your bird seed will become soggy from rain or snow. Wet bird seed becomes moldy, which can make birds get sick. You do not want birds to associate your bird feeder with bad bird seed!
If you want to make a home-made baffle, you can use an aluminum pie plate. Just cut a whole in the center and string it above the feeder. If your bird feeder is close to the ground, you can put a baffle underneath the feeder. Be sure to have your lower baffle at least 4 feet above the ground so that squirrels can not leap over them.
Decoy Feeding Station
Believe it or not, some people enjoy having squirrels in their backyard. I am actually one of these people! I love having animals of all kinds in my backyard. However, I do not want squirrels to eat my expensive bird seed. What I do is set up a wire basket and fill it with dried corn and put it near the trees that the squirrels like to climb. Having cheap food easily accessible to squirrels makes them less likely to try to attempt to steal from a bird feeder.
Set Up Live-Traps
The process of removing squirrels from an attic isn’t just setting a trap and relocating the animal. Steven Johnson from Wildlife Removal Pros in Lexington Kentucky says “Squirrels in an attic need to be removed by an educated professional. When adults are sealed out of an attic or taken away from a litter of babies, real problems arise.”
Live-trapping squirrels and relocating them is an option. When relocating a squirrel, be sure to take them far away from the nearest bird feeder advised by a squirrel control expert. More squirrels will most likely show up, so you will have to set up more live-traps. Therefore, it would be easier to try baffles and decoy feeding stations before trying live-trapping!