When the birds are chirping and fluttering around your yard looking for snacks, you want to help by putting out your bird feeder. Unfortunately, squirrels will stop at nothing to get their little paws on your feathered friends’ food. These pesky pests might seem unstoppable. However, there are several things you can do to keep them away from the birdseed.
How Do I Keep Squirrels Away from My Bird Feeders?
You’ll probably never get rid of squirrels entirely, but our helpful tips and tricks will ensure that more of the birdseed will actually go to the birds.
Hang the bird feeders away from trees
Squirrels can jump extremely far. This allows them to reach bird feeders from branches. Use a string or wire to make a line between two trees; hang the bird feeder in the middle of the string. Squirrels will have difficulty walking on the string and reaching the bird feeder.
Use a pepper-based repellent
Pepper is a natural and safe squirrel deterrent. Use a pepper-based repellent product directly on your bird feeder. Squirrels will hate the smell, but birds won’t notice.
Grease the poles
Put petroleum jelly on the pole of your bird feeder. This will make it extremely difficult for them to hold onto the pole and they will be incapable of climbing up.
Use safflower seed
Normally squirrels aren’t extremely picky when it comes to their snacks. However, they often leave safflower seed alone. Several birds, like cardinals, chickadees, doves, and finches, love safflower seed, so they won’t mind!
Mount a baffle
A baffle is a device that you can add to bird feeder poles to stop squirrels from snacking on the bird seed. Baffles are cone-shaped to cause squirrels to slide off if they attempt to jump onto the bird feeder.
Give the squirrels a snack
If you can’t beat them, join them! If you provide the squirrels with their own feeder, there’s a good chance they’ll leave the bird feeders alone. Leave out some dried corn or peanuts… or even invest in a squirrel feeder.
If you’ve tried the tips and tricks above and you’re still struggling with pesky squirrels, get in touch with Varment Guard today! We can safely and efficiently remove problem pests from your yard so your feathered friends can feast!
