Making a squirrel baffle with a stove pipe is easy. Just purchase a length from your local home improvement store. Get one at least 4 feet in length and 6 inches in diamter.
If you don’t want to get as fancy as hanging it on a pole, you could just put your pole through it and let the stove pipe rest on the ground.
The squirrels will eventually figure out that they can get inside …
There are many species of birds that especially like suet: woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches are a few that come to mind.
The suet cakes you purchase in the supermarket are made with animal fat as a base. If you’re a vegetarian like me, you may have looked for vegetarian suet, only to be disappointed.
Well, fortunately making your own bird suet is extremely easy and quick. The birds really seem to go for this recipe.
I usually make …
Some squirrel-proof bird feeders are pole-mounted feeders, such as the Absolute feeder. I’m referring to bird feeders that sit at the top of pole, not ones that hang from them. (If you have a hanging feeder on a pole, see Tips on Hanging Your Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder.)
Pole-mounted bird feeders tend to be more effective (and easier to install) than hanging bird feeders, such you still have to keep a couple of things in …
A cylinder squirrel baffle is perfect to protect bird feeders that are on poles. When the squirrel climbs up the pole, he encounters the baffle and can’t get around it.
These baffles are sold commercially and are pretty inexpensive. We have one and it works great! But it is also easy to make your own. A previous post talked about how to make one out of a stove pipe.
You can also make a similar squirrel …
Many squirrel-proof bird feeders are hanging feeders. People don’t often realize that even the best squirrel-proof bird feeder must be hung properly to be effective.
The average gray squirrel is a very clever fellow. Not only can he jump 10-12 feet horizontally and 4-5 feet straight up, he can shimmy along almost anything. I had to chuckle when a read a squirrel-proof bird feeder review in which the reviewer complained that a squirrel chewed …
Just about every type of bird seed is something that has to be opened: sunflower seeds, peanuts, even thistle seeds (nyjer seeds) have shells. Birds typically remove the inner meat while sitting at the feeder and drop the shells right there. As you can see by this photo of our backyard, this leaves behind a big mess.
True, the shells are biodegradable …
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.
For example, squirrels don’t seem to have an appetite for safflower seed. Unfortunately, some birds don’t either. But, safflower seed appeals fine to some birds, such as finches, titmice, nuthatches, and cardinals, …
A very common squirrel baffle is one in the shape of a cylinder. It it used for bird feeders that mount on a pole. The squirrel can climb the pole, but when he reaches the squirrel baffle, he can’t get around it. Often the squirrel baffles are hollow so that all he can do is climb up inside it.
They are very inexpensive, but you …
I’ve had great success in squirrel-proofing my bird feeders by using pole squirrel baffles. A baffle is simply a block that the squirrel cannot get around.
There are two basic types of squirrel baffles: one that blocks from above (usually dome-shaped) and one that blocks from below and mounts on a pole (usually shaped like a lampshade or cylinder).
Which one to use depends on your squirrel.
The most important thing in being successful with a …
There are creative ways to keep squirrels out of your bird feeders without purchasing a squirrel-proof bird feeder or squirrel baffle.
If you have a hanging feeder, you can utilize one inexpensive method which involves empty 2-liter soda bottles. Since the average gray squirrel can jump 3 to 4 feet straight up and can leap horizontally a whopping 10 to 12 feet, the first thing you need to do is find a place to suspend the …
Would you like tips on squirrel-proofing your bird feeders?
