Squirrel Free Birding » Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeders

Squirrel Free Birding » Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeders http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com Feeder reviews and tips on keeping squirrels out of your bird feeders. Sat, 05 Sep 2009 21:38:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Squirrel Buster II Plus Review http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/squirrel-buster-ii-plus-review.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/squirrel-buster-ii-plus-review.html#comments Sat, 20 Dec 2008 20:17:55 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/?p=111

Another great squilrrel-proof bird feeder is the Squirrel Buster II Plus.

As with many other squilrrel-proof bird feeders, the squirrel buster II plus uses a mechanical action to keep the squirrels out: it has a metal skirt that drops down when the squirrel puts his weight on the it, shutting out access to the seeds.

The metal material of the skirt means that it is chew-proof.

The Squirrel Buster II Plus is similar to its predecessor, the classic Squilrrel Buster.
The classic Squirrel Buster had a grid around the feeder tube which dropped under the squirrel’s weight. The metal skirt of the Squirrel Buster II Plus is much more effective because the squirrel can’t even reach his paw through.

Both models of the Squirrel Buster have the patented water-proof ventilation cap which allows moisture to escape so seeds stay dry.

The Squirrel Buster II Plus has adjustable perch lengths and a cardinal ring perch which allow you to choose the birds you want to serve.

And, there’s one new feature of the Squirrel Buster II Plus that can’t be beat: it is dishwasher-safe!

Here’s where you can find it online:

Duncraft
]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/squirrel-buster-ii-plus-review.html/feed 1 Weather Guard Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder Review http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/weather-guard-squirrel-proof-bird-feeder-review.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/weather-guard-squirrel-proof-bird-feeder-review.html#comments Sat, 20 Dec 2008 20:15:19 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/?p=106 Weather Guard Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder

Weather Guard Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder

One of my favorite types of squirrel-proof bird feeders is the cage feeder. It usually has a tube feeder surrounded by a metal cage that the squirrel can’t chew through, reach through, or outwit.

I like this type of feeder because it has no moving parts, no batteries, nothing to fail. It will work the same in the winter during an ice storm as it will in the summer on the nicest of days.

This particular feeder is called the Weather Guard Bird Feeder (also known as the Bird Sanctuary) and it has a couple of nice features.

First of all, the Weather Guard Bird Feeder has a weather guard overhang. This protects the feeder tube from rain. Tube bird feeders are especially prone to having the seeds at the bottom get soggy, so this is a great feature for this type of bird feeder.

The second nice feature of the Weather Guard Bird Feeder is that there is no dish to catch the seeds at the bottom. Although a seed-catching dish may seem like a good thing, I found by experience that the squirrel will just hang upsidedown on the feeder and eat the seeds from the dish.

Also, the spilled seeds on the ground will be eaten by ground feeders such as morning doves.

Here’s where you can get it online: Duncraft ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/weather-guard-squirrel-proof-bird-feeder-review.html/feed 1 Champion Squirrel Blocker Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/champion-squirrel-blocker-squirrel-proof-bird-feeder.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/champion-squirrel-blocker-squirrel-proof-bird-feeder.html#comments Sat, 20 Dec 2008 20:05:31 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/?p=99 Champion Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder

The Champion Squirrel Blocker squirrel-proof bird feeder is very similar to the Suet Select. Both have bird food behind a protective metal mesh that is too small for squirrel paws to reach through.

The main difference between the two bird feeders (besdies the fact that one is a suet feeder and one is a seed feeder) is that the Suet Select hangs vertically while the Champion bird feeder is a platform feeder.

The Champion Blocker has a two-grid system which prevents the squirrels from removing even a single seed. But unlike some other feeders, birds of all shapes and sizes can reach through and remove the seeds.

One disadvantage to the platform-style bird feeder, however, is that the birds are sitting and eating over the area with the seed. This means that if they shell the seeds, such as black oil sunflower seeds, the shells will fall back into the seed area. But some companies will sell seeds containing no husks or shells. Duncraft has a version called the No Waste bird seed. It contains absolutely no shells, husks, or debris of any kind.

The Champion Blocker has a durable all-metal platform and comes with a five-year guarantee.

Here’s where you can get it online: Duncraft ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/champion-squirrel-blocker-squirrel-proof-bird-feeder.html/feed 0 Suet Select http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/suet-select.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/suet-select.html#comments Wed, 06 Feb 2008 04:05:25 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/suet-select.html Suet Select Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder

Another variation of the cage squirrel-proof bird feeder is the Suet Select. It uses the same general principle as the other cage bird feeders; put the bird food in the center of the feeder and surround it with a metal cage. Make sure the food is far enough away so that the squirrels can’t reach through to it.

The Suet Select is one of these, but what’s unique about it, as the name implies, is that it is a suet feeder. The cakes of suet appeal to many variations of birds including woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees.

Unlike many smaller suet feeders, this one holds two cakes.

I like this type of squirrel-proof bird feeder (cage feeder) because there are no moving parts, no motorized mechanisms to fail or batteries to charge. It keeps squirrels out of your bird feeders simply by placing the food out of reach.

Here’s where you can find it online: The Bird Shed

Incidentally, here’s a great recipe for vegetarian suet. ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/suet-select.html/feed 0 Squirrel Be Gone II http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/squirrel-be-gone-ii.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/squirrel-be-gone-ii.html#comments Tue, 22 Jan 2008 02:52:09 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/squirrel-be-gone-ii.html Squirrel-Be-Gone II Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder

Squirrel-Be-Gone II Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder

You’ll find a review of the Squirrel Be Gone squirrel-proof bird feeder on this website, which wasn’t very favorable. However, the Squirrel Be Gone II is nothing like it.

This feeder looks very much like the Absolute squirrel-proof bird feeder. It too has a trap door that closes off access to the bird seed which is activated by the squirrels weight.

This bird feeder, however, is a little more stylish. It looks like a little house. It even has a chimney!

This feeder has a removable roof for easy cleaning, and has the capacity for a whopping 12 pounds of seeds, and can either be pole-mounted or hung.

The all-metal design means that it can’t be chewed through by frustrated squirrels. You can get it in either green with a copper roof or red with a steel roof (which resembles a classic red barn).

Here’s where you can find it online: Yardiac ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/squirrel-be-gone-ii.html/feed 0 Fortress Triple Tube Feeder http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/fortress-triple-tube-feeder.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/fortress-triple-tube-feeder.html#comments Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:49:21 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/fortress-triple-tube-feeder.html

The Fortress Triple Tube squirrel-proof bird feeder looks mighty impressive to the eye. It is another variation of the tube feeder inside a metal cage. The difference between this and other feeders is that there are three tubes which make up the feeder. You can fill one it with three different kinds of seeds to attract different types of birds.

It is very similar to the Opus Top Flight feeder. However, they have made one improvement over the Top Flight feeder: the lid locks in place. This prevents the squirrel from removing the lid to get to the seed. (And speaking from experience, this is exactly what happens with bird feeder that don’t have locking lids).

All-in-all, it is a pretty good squirrel-proof bird feeder.

It does have this negative points, though.

Firstly, all tube feeders tend to have a problem with inclement weather. The seeds at the bottom of the tube tend to get wet from the moisture that gets in at the seed port. This causes the bottom layer of seeds to clump, preventing the dry seeds above them to fall down.

Secondly, this feeder has a seed dish under the tube to catch fallen seeds, the same as the Opus Top Flight. All the squirrel has to do is hang upsidedown on the cage and eat seeds out of the dish (which, believe me, he’ll do).

So, this type of feeder tends to not be 100% squirrel-proof. Still, the metal cage is chew-proof, and it does fairly well.

Here’s where you can find it online: Yardiac

If you are specifically looking for a triple-tube feeder, you might also want to consider the Opus Copper triple-tube bird feeder. It has the extra feature of a built-in squirrel baffle, so it is impossible for the squirrel to hang upside down to eat from the tray. ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/fortress-triple-tube-feeder.html/feed 0 Mandarin Bird Feeder http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/mandarin-bird-feeder.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/mandarin-bird-feeder.html#comments Fri, 21 Dec 2007 04:07:50 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/mandarin-bird-feeder.html Mandarin Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder

Another squirrel-proof bird feeder that has a built-in baffle is called the Mandarin Bird Feeder because of its eastern look.

It has a lot of great features. The baffle, which resembles a little pagoda, is identical to that of the Sky Cafe. The pitch of the baffle is very steep, making it impossible for squirrels to get a grip.

The Mandarin Feeder has a couple of nice features that the Sky Cafe doesn’t.

1. The seed ports are designed to work on a “peck and pull” action. This means the birds must pull the seed out instead of rummaging through a pile, which results in a lot less wasted seed.

2. The feeder is available with a four-way divider, which means you can put four different types of seeds in it. (You pay extra for the divider).

3. There is no seed-catching tray at the bottom, which means seeds are less likely to get wet in a rainstorm.

One disadvantage it has over the Sky Cafe is that the size of the perches discourages larger birds. (The Sky Cafe’s seed tray has enough room for any size bird.)

And although the dome baffle is plastic, don’t fear the squirrels will chew through it because the Mandarin feeder comes with a lifetime warranty against squirrel damage!

Here’s where you can get it online: Yardiac ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/mandarin-bird-feeder.html/feed 0 Sky Cafe http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/sky-cafe.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/sky-cafe.html#comments Fri, 22 Jun 2007 02:38:52 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/sky-cafe.html Sky Cafe Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder

Duncraft sells a squirrel-proof bird feeder very similar to the Big Top Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder. It’s called the Sky Cafe.

Instead of a dome to keep the squirrels out of the bird seed, its cover is more of a funnel-shape.

One advantage it has over the Big Top is that the Sky Cafe has a feeding tray,

not feeding ports. This tray can be easily access by any kind of bird; small and large.

Here’s where you can get it online: Duncraft ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/sky-cafe.html/feed 0 Vari-Craft Birch Log Bird Feeder http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/vari-craft-birch-log-bird-feeder.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/vari-craft-birch-log-bird-feeder.html#comments Tue, 08 May 2007 11:15:36 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/vari-craft-birch-log-bird-feeder.html Vari-
Craft Birch Log Bird Feeder

The Vari-Craft line of bird feeders take a unique approach to squirrel-proofing. The don’t claim to be 100% squirrel-proof. However, they do carry a lifetime guarantee against squirrel damage. If a squirrel ever chews through or otherwise damages the feeder, they’ll replace it free.

Their bird feeders do have some squirrel-resistant features. Take the Birch Log Bird Feeder, for example.

As you can see by the picture above, it resembles a birch log. However, it is really squirrel-resistant plastic. Actually, it is heavy-wall PVC (1/4″ thick).

The roof and base are both made of aluminum, so they won’t rust. The lid fastens on with stainless steel clips, so squirrels won’t just pop it off and help themselves.

The feeding ports are stainless steel and squirrel-proof.

Here’s where you can get it online: Yardiac ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/vari-craft-birch-log-bird-feeder.html/feed 0 Old Feed Mill Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/oldfeedmillsquirrelproofbirdfeeder.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/oldfeedmillsquirrelproofbirdfeeder.html#comments Thu, 19 Apr 2007 11:58:30 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/oldfeedmillsquirrelproofbirdfeeder.html Old Mill Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder

Yardiac makes an attractive squirrel-proof bird feeder called the Old Feed Mill bird feeder.

If you look at the basic design, you’ll recognize it. It is very similar to the Absolute bird feeder. Both have a metal body and a trap door design that closes off access to the seed when the squirrel puts his weight on the perch.

However, the Old Feed Mill is a little more decorative. It reminds you of an old antique mill with its silver metal roof and terra cotta coloring.

It’s made of durable powder-coated steel.

Here’s where you can get it online:
Backyard Bird Watcher ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/oldfeedmillsquirrelproofbirdfeeder.html/feed 3