Opus Top Flight Squirrel-Proof Feeder
Opus makes a couple of variations of this type of squirrel-proof bird feeder: a tube feeder surrounded by a wire cage that the squirrel cannot chew through. This particular one is called the Opus Top Flight squirrel-proof bird feeder.
Unfortunately, this is another example of a "squirrel-proof" bird feeder that does not work.
It’s true that the squirrel is unable to reach the feeding ports and cannot chew through the mesh to damage the feeder. However, this bird feeder lacks a couple of key design elements which really make a bird feeder squirrel-resistent.
First, the this feeder has a seed tray at the bottom of the feeder tube which catches the fallen seeds. It’s great to prevent wasted seeds. Unfortunately, it is also great for the squirrel. He can easily cling to the wire, hang upside down, and each the seed from the tray. (I’m speaking from personal experience on this one.)
If you’re going to invest money in a squirrel-proof bird feeder that you really want to work, this is not the one.
Feeding Station Selective Feeder
If you only have room in your yard for a single bird feeder, then the Feeding Station Selective is a smart purchase.
It is a squirrel-proof bird feeder that is a combination seed feeder and suet feeder. The seed-loving birds can access the bird seed in the tube feeder at the top, and the suet-loving critters can peck away at the suet cakes on the bottom to their beak’s content
And it has an important feature of a cage feeder; there is no dish at the bottom to catch fallen seeds. This means the squirrel will not just hang upsidedown on the cage and eat from the dish.
This particular feeder is only available through Duncraft.
Squirrel-Proofing Through Seed Selection
While the most effective way of keeping squirrels out of your bird feeders is to use either squirrel-proof bird feeders or squirrel baffles, you can also keep squirrels out using this simple method: put bird seed in your bird feeders that squirrels don’t like.Another type of seed that squirrels don’t particularly care for is thistle (nyger) seed. Thistle seed usually attracts chickadees and gold finches. (Make sure you use a thistle feeder. A bird feeder especially for thistle seed usually has smaller openings so that the small thistle seed doesn’t fall out. You can also make your own by putting the thistle seed inside a nylon stocking and hanging it up).
Selectively using only certain types of seed is an inexpensive way to keep squirrels from invading your bird feeders.
While the above seed doesn’t appeal to squirrels, it also doesn’t appeal to a large majority of birds so the variety of birds at your feeder will decrease as well. Fortunately, safflower seeds do appeal to cardinals, doves, titmice, nuthatches, and house finches.
Squirrel Bungee Feeder
A few models of squirrel diversion feeders are design to entertain as well as feed. One of these is the Squirrel Bungee (a/k/a the Squngee.) .
It has a very simple design: a corn cob is suspended 2 feet above the ground via a bungee cord. The squirrel must jump to get the prize, and hang on as it dips and bobs.
You’ll find yourself watching the squirrel bungee for hours.
There’s one downside to the squirrel bungee feeder, however. The performance of the bungee works according to how elastic the material is. This elasticity depends on temperature. Bottom-line: your squirrel bungee may lose its springiness in cold weather.
The good news is the squirrel bungee feeder is relatively inexpensive. And you can order a 12-pack of corn cobs at the same time for under $10.00.
Here’s where you can get it online:
Squirrel Bungee Feeder by Duncraft
Corn Cobs
Droll Yankee Dipper
In a previous article, I wondered why Duncraft stopped carrying the Squirrel Bouncer.
I still don’t know the answer, but I couldn’t help but notice that there’s another squirrel-proof bird feeder exactly like the Squirrel Bouncer. It’s called the Droll Yankee Dipper.
Droll Yankee makes at least four varieties of squirrel-proof bird feeders. The Dipper is a tube feeder with four feeding ports. When the squirrel puts any kind of weight on the perches, they collapse, just like the Squirrel Bouncer. The feeder is long enough (21 inches) so that the squirrel can’t just hang by his feet from the top and eat without stepping on the perches. He must put some weigh on the perches and when he does, he finds himself on the ground.
One disadvantage to the Yankee Dipper is that the weight calibration cannot be adjusted. It also collapses under the weight of heavier birds such as starlings.
Here’s where you can get it online: Yardiac
(NOTE: The Yardiac site has the picture and title of the Dipper, but the description of the Flipper. The Dipper is NOT battery operated and does not spin the squirrels off. The perches collapse under the weight of the squirrel without batteries.)
What Happened to the Squirrel Bouncer?
The Bouncer by Varicraft is one of the newer additions to squirrel-proof-bird-feeders. The four perches are weight-calibrated. They will support the light weight of birds, but as soon as too much weight is put on them, i.e. squirrels, the mechanism causes the perch to collapse, swinging under the feeder instead of out to the side of it.
As with the Roller Feeder, no batteries are used, which is an advantage.
One disadvantage over the roller feeder, however, is that the perch weight allowance is not adjustable. The perches come with a setting sensitive enough to keep off the heavier birds such as grackles and starlings, but they can’t be fine-tuned to meet your specific need.
This feeder should work fine for squirrels that reach it from any direction, whether they climb down to it from above or jump from below; the feeder is long enough so that a squirrel cannot hang from the top and still reach the perches. He must put some weight on the perches, which will cause tbem to collapse.
This squirrel-proof bird feeder used to be carried by Duncraft, but for some reason, it has disappeared off their website.
Seed Wheel Squirrel Feeder
There’s a squirrel feeder made by Duncraft that is as entertaining as it is functional. It is called the Squirrel Seed Wheel. If you’re going to feed the squirrels (squirrel feeders are known as diversion feeders), they may as well perform for their meal.The squirrel wheel consists of a seed dispenser and a large wheel, similar to the excercise wheels in hamster cages.
When the wheel rotates, it dispenses a small amount of seed. The squirrel can run inside it like a hamster in a cage, or simply spin it from the outside with his hand. Whatever method he uses, you’ll have fun watching him try to work out the puzzle.
Here’s where you can find it online: Duncraft
Squirrel-Proof Tube Feeder
There’s a squirrel-proof bird feeder sold by Yardiac that is made by Audubon. It’s called the Squirrel-Proof Tube Feeder. It is very similar to many other bird feeders in that it has an ordinary tube feeder surrounded by a metal cage that the squirrel can’t chew through.
Some of its features are an improvement over other tube and cage feeders, but others are not.
First, the pros.
The cage surrounding the tube feeder is exceptionally wide. This means that even squirrels with long reaches cannot get to the seed.
The width of the cage also means that even if a squirrel is hanging upside down on the cage, he won’t be able to reach eat from the fallen seeds that are caught at the bottom of the feeder.
The feeder also keeps out bigger birds such as cardinals.
Now the cons.
The mesh openings are also exceptionally big. One reviewer reported that smaller squirrels were able to fit through the bars. In my backyard, this wouldn’t be a problem since all my squirrels are a little on the rotund side.
Here’s a big, big problem with the design. The halves of the feeder do not fit perfectly flush where they join. This means that there’s a bit of a gap. This may not seem like a big deal, but one reviewer reported that she went out to fill her feeder, only to find a dead little bird hanging. His foot had gotten caught in this gap and he couldn’t free himself.
This may have been a fluke that will never happen again. Other reviewers said this feeder worked beautifully for them. But with so many other squirrel-proof bird feeders on the market, why take a chance?
I wouldn’t recommend this one.
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2 In 1 Triple Tube Bird Feeder
Just when you think you’ve seen every possible variation of a tube feeder, another one comes out.
The 2-in-1 Triple Tube Feeder isn’t just a tube feeder. Nor is it just a triple tube feeder (which lets you have three different types of seed available at once). No, the 2-in-1 Triple Tube Feeder has an extra twist. It’s the 2-in-1 part.
What they mean is that you can switch from the tube being used for bird seed and sunflower seed to having it used to thistle and Nyjer seed, which finches love.
If you’ve ever provided thistle or Nyjer seed, you know that they are tiny, tiny seeds. If you put them into a bird feeder design for regular seed, they fall out quite easily. For this type of small seed, you ideally want a feeder that has very small feeding ports so that the finch has to pull the seeds out.
This feeder gives you the best of both worlds. And when you consider the fact that it is also a triple-tube feeder, you’ll see that it is extremely adaptable to whatever type of bird feeding environment you want to provide.
Pro The three tubes and the ability to switch between regular bird seed and thistle seed makes it extremely versatile.
It has a built-in squirrel baffle.
Con As with all tube feeders, the seeds near the feeding ports tend to get a little moist during inclement weather.
Since some of the feeding ports are located partway up the tube, it is possible that a squirrel can grip the hanging wire with his feet, hang upsidedown, and reach the seed ports.
Note: It looks like this exact model is no longer carried. The closest match I can find is made by Duncraft and is called the Triple Tube Haven.
