How to Feed the Birds But Not the Squirrels

How to Feed the Birds But Not the Squirrels

Squirrels will look at your bird feeder and will come up with options A - Z of how can it get the bird seed, and we have compiled our favourite tips of how to deter squirrels from eating all of your bird seed. 

Shepherd Hook Squirrel Baffle

This style of baffle is meant to be mounted around a shepherds hook base to prevent squirrels from climbing up the shepherds hook and having access to the bird seed. These can be found made of plastic or metal, and usually have a smooth surface so the squirrel cannot get any traction and climb over the baffle.

Photo: A Shepherd Hook Squirrel Baffle works great for preventing squirrels from being able to climb up your shepherds hook

When using squirrel baffles you do need to make sure that there aren't other objects close to the bird feeder that would allow a squirrel to bypass the baffle. These baffles work best approximately 8 feet away from any shrubs, trees or other objects that a squirrel can jump from.

Photo: Oh no! This squirrel was able to get around the squirrel baffle because there was another shepherds hook that it could climb instead and then jump over to the bird seed

Hanging Squirrel Baffle

This style of squirrel baffle is meant to be hung above the bird feeder to prevent the squirrel from climbing down to the bird feeder. Like the previous style of baffles, these can be found made of plastic or metal. When shopping for this style of baffle the key is to have a smooth surface and that the baffle is unstable if any weight is applied to one side. Having a slippery, unstable surface prevents the squirrel from being able to climb around the baffle.

Photo: A hanging squirrel baffle is great at preventing squirrels from climbing down to your bird feeder

Cayenne Pepper

Adding cayenne pepper to your bird seed is a great option to deter squirrels and other furry friends from eating your bird seed. There isn't a go-to ratio of how much cayenne pepper to add to your bird seed, and each squirrel is different. Cayenne pepper is harmless to the birds, and due to the fact that the birds can only taste sweet, sour and bitter, the addition of a little spice will not deter them from eating your bird seed.

To use cayenne pepper we recommend portioning out the bird seed you plan to use that day and placing it either in a re-sealable bag or container. Add cayenne pepper to this container and after closing the container shake it to distribute the seasoning evenly. This method of squirrel deterrent works best only if all the seed is coated in cayenne pepper. If you just put cayenne pepper on the top layer of seed, the squirrel quickly learns to dig past this layer and eat the un-coated seeds underneath.

This method can take some trial and error before finding the exact ratio that works for your squirrels. Another tip we have learned from customers is to make sure any sources of water aren't near the feeder when using cayenne pepper. This is because many squirrels realized that after encountering the spicy cayenne pepper, drinking water allowed them to return to the bird seed quicker than if it wasn't available.

Hot Pepper Suet

Hot pepper suet is a great option if squirrels are eating your suet. This product has cayenne pepper mixed throughout each individual cake. These suet cakes work excellent at preventing rodents from eating any pieces of suet that might fall to the ground if you have messy birds.

Photo: Hot Pepper Suet Cake

Squirrel Buster Bird Feeders

This style of bird feeder comes in various sizes and designs to suit your yard. They work due to a spring mechanism that is triggered by the weight of the squirrel. Because birds have hollow bones, even large birds don't close the feeding ports but a small squirrel will. Many of these options also come with adjustable springs, to allow you to decide how sensitive you want the mechanism.

Sheet Metal/ Stove Piping Around Wooden 

If your bird feeder is mounted to a wooden post the easiest way to deter squirrels is by making it difficult for them to climb up the post. This can easily be accomplished by wrapping the wooden post in either sheet metal or stove piping, as these are surfaces that squirrels are unable to grip easily. When using this method for deterring squirrels you need to make sure that the metal is positioned high enough so that the squirrel is unable to jump from the ground and grip a wooden surface beyond the sheet metal.

Photo: Sheet metal or stove piping wrapped around your wooden posts prevents squirrels from being able to climb up to your bird feeders