A DIY squirrel-proof bird feeder provides sustenance for your padded companions and keeps naughty squirrels out of their food. Standard bird feeders feature large wire network openings that allow squirrels to effectively snatch seeds, whereas DIY squirrel-proof bird feeders feature instruments that activate when a squirrel lands on the bird roost or plate.
You can track down these bird feeders in different styles, including hanging, stage, and shaft-mounted, all of which will influence the kind of birds you draw in.
Bird feeders that prevent squirrels from entering through something like an enclosure are significantly less bird-accommodating. While numerous bigger species, like our jays or bigger woodpeckers, will not have the option to enter the feeder, the feeders are promptly usable for our more modest species.
Like chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, and a few types of finch," Chad Witko, an effort scientist for Audubon's Transitory Bird Drive, says. The fantastic news is that birdseed will unavoidably spill, and numerous bigger birds can normally acquire access to what has spilled on the ground underneath.
In light of Witko's recommendation, we've spent a few hours researching and testing the best squirrel-confirmation bird feeders. We evaluated items based on their durability, mounting options, seed limit, and target species.
Best Squirrel Proof Bird Feeders to Try 2024
We're not making any commitments; however, these are the absolute most famous squirrel Proof bird feeders out there. Join them with the tips beneath for your most obvious opportunity with regards to thwarting tricky squirrels.
The Yankee Flipper DIY squirrel-proof bird feeder utilizes a little engine to send squirrels on their way. It's weight-enacted, so when birds land on the roost, nothing occurs, and they're ready to partake in a bite. When something heavier, like a squirrel, gives it a shot, however, the tomfoolery starts! Look at the best cardinal bird feeders and birdseed to draw in additional redbirds.
This best squirrel-proof bird feeder also chips away at the weight rule. Lightweight birds can feed on the spring-initiated roosts, but a heavier squirrel will quickly make the metal safeguard close, removing access to the seed. It very well may be adapted to weight to stop menace birds as well.
Kathy Corner, a field proofreader, experimented with this feeder for birds and blossoms. It holds a considerable amount of seed and is not difficult to fill. It is likewise huge and serves the two sides, which would oblige various birds," Kathy says. This feeder has been up for a while without a squirrel.
Kathy likewise noticed that this feeder turned out best for more modest birds, including dark-covered chickadees, tufted titmouses, fleece woodpeckers, and sparrows. The bigger birds, like blue jays and cardinals, appeared to experience issues remaining on the roost. They nearly expected to sit sidesaddle and went to an alternate feeder. They, in a real sense, expected to fold themselves even to the feeder. This was reliable during the time I used it, she says.
Top 17 Best Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder 2024
1: Squirrel-Proof Double Suet Feeder
Exemplary confined feeders like this one function admirably for suet cakes, as well. More modest warblers and woodpeckers slip directly through, leaving squirrels, raccoons, and large domineering jerk birds behind. Look at the best suet feeders for winter birds.
2: Squirrel Buster Plus Bird Feeder
Squirrels cause seeds and peanuts to evaporate instantly, and European starlings and grackles are drawn to these food sources, as well. Block energetic eaters with the Squirrel Buster In addition to bird feeder plan. One of our editors attempted this feeder — read the survey!
3: Sky Cafe Bird Feeder
The Sky Bistro feeder includes a perplex that carries out twofold responsibility. Squirrels can't stretch around it to take seeds, and birds are safeguarded from downpour and snow while they roost under the bewilder.
4: Foil Super Squirrels
These rugged followed animals can fall 100 feet without serious injury and are quicker than you could suspect at maximum velocity, they can run 20 mph. Many dim squirrels can hop 8 feet high from a fixed, sitting position!
Move feeders 10 feet from the closest leaping off point. Place your feeder station in light of these numbers to stop a greater part of squirrels. Assuming that you add 6 crawls to those aspects, you ought to forestall 100 percent of squirrels from arriving at the feeder.
5: Baffle the Squirrels
Squirrels are astounding climbers, even on metal posts. Add a squirrel bewilder to your feeders or posts to keep them from moving up from beneath or buy a battery-worked feeder to turn the bothersome critters off.
6: String Soda Bottles on a Wire
Squirrels are ordinary carnival entertainers with regards to strolling on high wires. Their astounding readiness makes bird feeders dangling from wires obvious targets for any squirrel.
Suspend your feeders on a wire hung starting with one shaft then onto the next, no less than 5 feet from the beginning. To keep squirrels from doing a tight-rope strolling stunt, string plastic liter-size soft drink bottles onto the wire on the two sides of the feeders. The plastic containers roll the squirrels right off as they approach.
7: Try Caged Bird Feeders
Put resources into a confined squirrel-evidence bird feeder. The plan functions admirably for feeders implied for little birds, as finches or chickadees, and it works really hard of keeping out the harasser birds, as well. In regions where squirrels are particularly little, similar to the Profound South, these kinds of squirrel-evidence bird feeders might be less powerful.
For the most part talking, by encasing bird feeders in wire network that is sufficiently huge to permit birds to enter the enclosure, yet little enough to prohibit squirrels, you have actually squirrel-sealed the feeder.
8: Switch Up Your Seed
Consider changing your birdseed mix by consolidating food that squirrels will more often than not loathe, for example, white millet, thorn and safflower seeds. Birds like cardinals and titmice appreciate safflower seed, and finches like thorn seed, so supplanting the seed in at least one of your feeders might help. Additionally plant some local, regular food hotspots for your birds sunflowers, natural product delivering plants and nut-bearing trees.
9: Keep the Ground Clean Under Feeders
Try not to permit the seeds that are extra to develop on the ground. Squirrels love to scrounge for seeds, and the flotsam and jetsam from your feeders might be drawing in them. When they're nearby, they're certain to attempt to attack the feeders too.
Keep the regions under your feeders clean (this is likewise an effective method for discouraging other undesirable vermin like rodents or raccoons). Connect an enormous plate on the shaft underneath the feeders to get the falling seed. As a little something extra, you might draw in more ground taking care of birds like grieving pigeons and juncos.
10: Brome Squirrel Buster Plus
The Brome Squirrel Buster In addition, the squirrel-proof DIY bird feeder is one of the most adaptable bird feeders available, making it our pick for the best squirrel-verification bird feeder.
This feeder has weight-enacted roosts that will close the seed openings when a heavier irritation, like a squirrel or crow, attempts to arrive on them. As well as having six roosts around the lower part of this feeder, it likewise accompanies a cardinal ring, which is intended to make taking care of them simpler since they can't blow some people's minds as effectively as different birds.
This feeder comes prepared to hang, yet you can likewise buy it with a shaft mount connector if you would rather not hang it straightforwardly on a tree. We likewise love that you can purchase a puzzle ring that further stops squirrels in the event that you really do want to utilize this feeder on a post.
During testing, we experienced a few introductory hiccups with arrangement, and we needed to investigate a portion of the pieces to make it ready. In any case, when we had it in our favored spot, we saw normal bird movement, and not once did we see any squirrels effectively access it.
The other minor protest is that this feeder isn't intended for all birds, like woodpeckers and nuthatches, that like to stick while they eat. A gripping bird can roost on a tree upstanding and even topsy-turvy, so they incline toward bird feeders that have a wire confinement encompassing them as opposed to simply roosts. Be that as it may, we actually love the smart plan of this feeder and figure it will handily draw in various warblers to your yard.
11: Perky-Pet Squirrel-Be-Gone Bird Feeder
Albeit practically all of the bird feeders in our rundown can be held tight to a tree or snare, we needed to feature this specific plan since it has a locking top, which keeps feed from emerging on the off chance that it is wrecked.
We tried this bird feeder squirrel-proof DIY at home and saw bunches of bird action as well as a squirrel endeavoring to arrive at the bird feeder without progress. Very much like different feeders in our rundown, this plan is weight-enacted to seal the ports when a squirrel or even a raccoon attempts to get to the window bird feeder.
Notwithstanding the locking top, we additionally love that this bird feeder has Lively Pet's reserved "flex ports," which further break down how much seed drops out of the ports. In any case, birds can easily feed from the ports while monitoring how much feed winds up on the ground.
The bigger roosts likewise guarantee various birds come to partake in the feeder. The flip-down plan implies that their roosts can likewise be pushed up, which was at first a worry since that would restrict a bird's capacity to get to seeds.
Notwithstanding, the roosts have all stayed set up in our long stretches of utilization. Regardless of your anxiety, whether climate-related or bug-related, this bird feeder is an exceptional, extra-strong choice to keep your feed in the cylinder and your padded companions blissful.
12: Brome Squirrel Solution200 Bird Feeder
We had the chance to test this specific bird feeder in reality and found that it satisfies every one of the assumptions it sets as a squirrel-verification feeder. We love its appealing plan, which is a stage over the other more utilitarian singles out our rundown. It's worked with dainty roosts, so it will draw in little window bird feeder.
Because of the wire network outwardly of the feed tube, it is additionally great for roosting and sticking birds. At the point when a squirrel lands on this feeder, its weight pulls the whole wire lattice down, and the leaves cover the feed ports, making the seeds inside out of reach. A channel is likewise included, so we had no issues topping off this feeder.
13: Droll Yankees Big Top Bird Feeder
A confound makes it difficult for squirrels to hold onto a bird feeder, and we appreciate that this one, specifically, is a smooth, domed polycarbonate that squirrels will most likely be unable to grasp.
This feeder has no weight-initiated traps like our best for little birds to pick, yet you can change the level of the bewilder to keep bigger birds like crows out of the feed. The open top of the feed dish and six ports make it simple for different birds to get to the feed.
We likewise love that you can undoubtedly see any birds that come to the feeder because of its reasonable development. This likewise makes it simple to screen how much feed is left in the dish.
You really might fill this dish with natural products or various kinds of birdseed to draw in various bird species to your yard. We simply suggest cleaning the dish sooner on the off chance that you truly do leave natural products or something else tacky in it. The main disadvantage of this feeder is that it's not totally waterproof.
The vault certainly protects a larger part of the feed, but any high winds could make it swing and lose seed or become wet. In any case, this dish is an extraordinary obstacle for squirrels, allowing you to see the full showcase of your yard's birds.
14: Nature Products Green Classic Pole Mount Bird Feeder
Assuming that you have a yard that needs trees for a hanging feeder, a post-mounted feeder, similar to the Bird's Decision NP431 Exemplary feeder, is an incredible plan that wards squirrels off. The astound appended to the lower part of the feeder keeps squirrels from moving higher and arriving at the window bird feeder roosts.
Because of its reasonable development, you can without much of a stretch screen the seed level in this feeder, and we love that it has such a huge limit with respect to over a gallon of seed.
In addition, the polycarbonate feeder tube is supposed to be UV-safe and won't yellow over the long run. While this feeder isn't awesome for birds that like to stick while eating (since it has a smooth outside and no enclosure to grip to), a lot of larks will visit this feeder.
Additionally, you will not need to stress over bigger birds like crows in light of the fact that the roosts aren't large enough for them. In spite of the fact that you might see that cardinals will not be as continuous at this feeder since they can't blow some people's minds to take care of them like more modest warblers, We think this feeder is a commendable decision if you would rather not stress over a feeder swinging around during high breezes.
15: Mosloly Caged Double Suet Feeders
A suet feeder can be particularly helpful for birds in the colder time of year since suet is a solidified cake produced using a combination of fat and seed, filling in as a speedy wellspring of energy for especially dynamic birds. This bird feeder permits you to put two cakes in the enclosures, and you will not need to stress over squirrels contacting them.
The enclosure lattice is a little more than 1 inch wide and tall, so even medium-sized birds ought to have the option to get to the suet. Be that as it may, we figure more modest squirrels might actually still arrive at the enclosure; however, the width of the enclosure ought to make it more difficult for them to get to the suet as a matter of fact.
In contrast to a feeder with ports (like our best by and large), this plan doesn't restrict the quantity of birds that can get to the cakes immediately because of the matrix plan. Are you looking for the best bird feeder with camera in California?
Furthermore, it's not difficult to screen the amount of suet left by a window in your home. The cover guarantees the cakes stay dry during the winter climate; however, the waste openings on the base plate are somewhat small, so it very well may be ideal to penetrate huge ones, assuming you live in a particularly wet region.
16: Squirrel Stopper Deluxe Squirrel Proof Pole System with Baffle
As opposed to supplanting your whole arrangement of bird enclosures and feeders, you could continuously attempt a post that fends the squirrels off.
This shaft from Squirrel Plug has space for eight separate feeders (or a blend of feeders, bird enclosures, wind rings, bins, or different bits of stylistic layout). The spring-stacked bewilder goes all over and influences side to side when squirrels land on it or get on it, so they truly aren't a match against the flighty movement.
This lower segment of this taking care of station accompanies a drill to drive it into the ground prior to screwing on the post augmentations without any problem.
We also love that this 2-inch base shaft is moderately lightweight, so it's not difficult to set up alone (yet we truly do contemplate whether it will remain upstanding during heavy breezes or a significant rainstorm). Fortunately, it's built from combination steel and has a powder-covered finish for additional strength.
17: Droll Yankees Yankee Flipper Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder
With the Droll Yankee Yankee Flipper, your patio birds will appreciate supper and a show. This novel bird feeder has a weight-enacted engine that twirls the bird roost around when heavier irritations land on it.
Squirrels will gain proficiency with their illustration rapidly whenever they've been flung off this feeder. Four bigger feed ports permit warblers to effectively accumulate on the round roost, which is likewise obliging to cardinals who can't blow some people's minds to take care of. Where you want to buy best bird feeder with camera in Florida?
Assuming you notice the engine beginning to wear out on this feeder, you can re-energize it short-term (the client manual says something like 14 hours) to have your squirrel safeguard all set once more.
Furthermore, the engine and battery charger come with a one-year guarantee (and a lifetime guarantee for the feeder body) in the event that you run into any issues. You can likewise buy a substitution engine independently once you've completed the guarantee course of events.
Our primary concern with this bird feeder configuration is the safety of its feed cover. The flip-top plan makes it exceptionally simple to top off, but we wish it had a bend-on or locking system to ensure feed wouldn't drop out in the event that an especially imaginative rat figured out how to knock it off its hanging roost. Notwithstanding this concern, we love the creativity behind this feeder's plan, and its enormous 5-pound feed limit is also a brilliant reward.
Frequently Asked Questions!
What is the best bird feeder to avoid squirrels?
Highlights seed tube ventilation, customizable roosts and appendable cardinal ring. Dismantles for cleaning, is bite and rust-evidence, with a 3 quart seed limit. It was casted a ballot BEST squirrel-proof bird feeder by Famous Science.
Is there really such a thing as a squirrel-proof bird feeder?
Our pick for the best squirrel-evidence bird feeder, the Brome Squirrel Buster In addition to Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder, can be changed in more ways than one to accommodate your patio, in addition to it has a huge limit of 5 pounds of seed.
How to squirrel-proof your bird feeder pole?
Hang a smooth on the shaft so the squirrel can't get it together while climbing. Birds don't care about it (as a matter of fact in some cases they even use it as a roost). It's an inelegant however successful method for keeping squirrels off your feeder post.
Is there any bird seed that squirrels won't eat?
Nyjer seed, millet, safflower, canary seed and canola seed all are fixings that squirrels keep away from. Sadly a ravenous squirrel will eat anything that will give it sustenance. Blend hot pepper (capsicum) into birdseed. It is a non-poisonous fixing and won't mischief or kill birds.
Do coffee grounds keep squirrels away from bird feeders?
The espresso beans won't truly hurt any the squirrels; it only wards them off through the smell making this a truly empathetic technique. The grounds can be either decaf or normal, old or new inasmuch as they are utilized, this technique will work.