It happens to the best of us; we set up our new bird feeders and then, a few moments later, we see them being raided by squirrels.
As funny as this can be to watch, many people who wish to feed their local birds do not want their feeders hijacked by these grey, fluffy rodents and seek out a way to reduce their ability to get at the bird seed. The obvious answer is to stop putting out bird seed but, as a nation of bird lovers, few British people want to do that!
The answer is to invest in a squirrel-proof feeder and, while these are aimed solely at preventing the presence of squirrels at your bird feeder, it can also help to prevent wild rats, mice and larger birds from pinching that bird seed.
Of course, not every squirrel-proof feeder is created equal and, like most things in life, there are more than a few that do not quite live up to expectation. When choosing fluffy rodent proof feeder, it may be tempting to choose the cheapest or buy the most well-known brand name, but these do not guarantee success at deterring those acrobatic squirrels from getting to the food.
So, what should you look for in a squirrel proof feeder?
Our top pick
Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder – Squirrel Buster Classic
A very cleverly designed anti-squirrel feeder, this device automatically closes when a certain weigh is detected on one of the perches; if squirrels, rats or large birds land on it, the feeder will automatically snap shut, and they will not be able to feed. However, for this mechanism to work correctly, you have to place the feeder at least 18 inches away from any poles, fences or trees, which
will force the squirrel to climb onto the feeder and trigger the shutting off of access to the food.
It is definitely on the pricey side however but, while it was in our garden, it definitely prevented squirrels, wild rats and larger birds from getting access to the food. But, on the downside, there was some corrosion around the base of the feeder, meaning we had to purchase a grease to prevent the rust from spreading; a bit of an issue for a bird feeder!
- No more wasted feed - keeps pests from stealing bird seed
- Lifetime guarantee
- 3.5 million sold worldwide - celebrating 20 years of success
- Designed by Canadian experts - to keep your birds feeding and the pests off.
- Smart innovative & adaptable design
- Range of Styles, sizes and feed types
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
A baffling design
A typical bird feeder looks pretty straightforward in appearance. It hangs down, with some perches for the little ones to land on, to get access to the food inside the feeder.
While conventional, this design is as easy target for those agile rodents, who will use their nimble hands to reach inside and pull out the food from within. When trying to identify a successful squirrel-proof feeder, look for one that is a bit, well, baffling.
A baffle physically resembles an upside down bowl, is usually made from plastic and prevents squirrels from climbing up the pole that runs from the ground to the top of the feeder. As this is the most common route that squirrels take during a raid, it is the most effective way to adapt a feeder to prevent them from getting to the food.
Springs
Similar to the baffle, many of the best squirrel-proof feeders on the market have perches that can withstand the weight of many of the smaller garden birds, but buckle when either a squirrel, a rat or a larger bird lands on them.
Buckling down in a sudden motion, springs are a great way to prevent unwanted visitors at your bird feeder, allowing your smaller garden friends to enjoy their food in peace.
Cage
Many of the adapted birdfeeders now use a cage design to stop those larger, fluffier birds from accessing them.
Simply look for a feeder that is suited to the food you wish to put into it and see if there is a design where the feeder is in the middle of the cage. This will allow the smaller birds to enter the feeder without issue but will prevent squirrels, rats and larger birds from accessing the food.
Spinning hook
OK, this may sound cruel but hear us out.
A feeder that has a spinning hook is a fantastic way to deter squirrels from your bird feeders. Usually placed at the bottom of the cage and visually similar to a perch, these hooks are designed to spin the feeder around when enough weight is place on to the hook.
This spinning will cause the squirrel too become disorientated and/or to fall off of the feeder, hopefully preventing them from ever wanting to come back.
So, now that we have established what makes a good squirrel-proof feeder, it is now time to explore the most popular brands on the market, to see if they are suited for deterring those arboreal rodents, or if they are unworthy to hold such titles!
We tested the feeders in a regularly visited portion of our wildlife garden, which is home to squirrels, wild rats and larger birds like crowns, magpies and wood pigeons. Here is what we found out!
Simply Direct Set of 3 x Squirrel Resistant Guard Nut, Seed & Fat Ball Bird Feeders
A set of 3 cage based feeders, this trio of squirrel proof feeders also came with 1 bag of food for each feeder; a very nice touch we thought!
With 3 cages too small for even the tiniest wild rats, squirrels or magpies to squeeze through, these feeders are exceedingly simple and can be placed anywhere in the garden, boasting a way to feed smaller birds and deter rodents.
However, while this all seems very straight forward, the issue lies in the lids; they can pop open and so, squirrels or rats can reach down inside them from the top to get access to the fat balls and seed; not a very well thought out design.
Also, as the seed feeder comprises of a plastic tube, if the lid at the top is not secured, it can cause it to fill with water, rotting the seed and being difficult to clean. Also, larger birds, like magpies, can definitely support their weight on these feeders and an gain access to the goodies inside.
- Each Feeder Measures 24cm x 17cm x 17cm approx
- Large attractive metal feeders designed to keep the squirrels out
- Made from powder coated steel
- Features a large hook for hanging over branches or off bird feeder hooks
- Set of 3 Feeders and feed - 1 for each feed type - Includes 1KG bag of Seed, 1KG bag of Nuts and 6 Fat Balls
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Jacobi Jayne BFG-2 Birdfeeder Guardian
It is important to note that, first and foremost, this is not a feeder in itself but is rather a cage to place around the outside of feeder to deter squirrels and other garden pests.
But, when placed around a medium sized bird feeder, it seems to do its job fairly well. It is easy to fit and the metal top prevents rain water from damaging the seed. It is also snap shut, so it is very difficult for squirrels or rats to simply pull it open.
- Strong powder-coated steel cage
- Keeps smaller birds safe
- Prevents squirrels and larger birds from accessing feed
- High Quality
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Dragonfly Squirrel Proof Feeder
A spring loaded design to keep squirrels, rats and larger birds out, this feeder has a very large capacity for bird seed (over 1 litre) and has inbuilt weather proofing system, designed to keep seed free from clogging or rain.
However, like other spring loaded feeders, it requires an 18 inch radius to ensure that squirrels and rats cannot simply jump onto it, requiring them to put pressure onto the perches. And, oddly enough, while the perches are advertised as metal, they are actually plastic; our wily garden rats
figured this out quickly and have since nibbled through them, rendering the entire design useless. Also, there was one occasion where we found a blue tit trapped due to the design of the feeder and, upon reading the reviews on other sites, it appears we are not alone in this.
So, for the fairly high price of over £30, it is a bit poor.
- Audubon powder coated Antique Pewter feeder with 1.5 grid cage and polycarbonate tube
- Large capacity holds up to 4 lbs. of mixed seed and features an internal steel seed diverter
- 4 ports enable a number of birds to dine simultaneously
- The Twist-Lock lid lifts open for quick filling and cleaning
- E-Z Clean quick release bottom allows you to disassemble and clean the unit thoroughly - no tools required
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder – Squirrel Buster Classic
A very cleverly designed anti-squirrel feeder, this device automatically closes when a certain weigh is detected on one of the perches; if squirrels, rats or large birds land on it, the feeder will automatically snap shut, and they will not be able to feed. However, for this mechanism to work correctly, you have to place the feeder at least 18 inches away from any poles, fences or trees, which
will force the squirrel to climb onto the feeder and trigger the shutting off of access to the food.
It is definitely on the pricey side however but, while it was in our garden, it definitely prevented squirrels, wild rats and larger birds from getting access to the food. But, on the downside, there was some corrosion around the base of the feeder, meaning we had to purchase a grease to prevent the rust from spreading; a bit of an issue for a bird feeder!
- No more wasted feed - keeps pests from stealing bird seed
- Lifetime guarantee
- 3.5 million sold worldwide - celebrating 20 years of success
- Designed by Canadian experts - to keep your birds feeding and the pests off.
- Smart innovative & adaptable design
- Range of Styles, sizes and feed types
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Conclusion and what we found
So, it seems that when you are trying to prevent squirrels or rats from getting to your bird food, it is harder than even we thought! For certain designs to work, they have to have a set radius around them and even then, it seems, they can have no plastic components or the rats may nibble through them.
Caged alternatives may suffer from issues such as rodents opening the top or may, unfortunately, trap smaller birds with their design.
However, we found the most effective feeder for deterring squirrels was by far the Squirrel Buster Classic.
Although there were some issues surrounding corrosion, it was a very good feeder for deterring the wild rodents and, as it was made from metal, did not allow them to break the spring loaded system.
But, if you cannot afford the hefty price tag of that brand of feeder, it may be worth purchasing the iBorn Squirrel Proof feeder. Although we did have some issues with magpies and crows using it, this middle of the road priced feeder was certainly sturdy and kept all of the seed inside of the feeders
dry.
In conclusion, it is worth watching the wildlife you have in your garden before purchasing any of these feeders; after all, there is no point spending an excess amount on a squirrel or rat proof feeders if you only have blackbirds visit your garden!
