If you have squirrel problems, a squirrel-proof bird feeder
may be your best solution. There are several species of
ground squirrels and tree squirrels in North America that
can create problems for bird enthusiasts. The Fox Squirrel
and the Eastern and Western Gray Squirrels are species of
tree squirrels that are most commonly involved with causing
problems for home owners and bird watchers.
Squirrel-proof bird feeders come in a variety of shapes,
sizes and styles. They range from the simple baffle-topped
feeders, to the weight activated hopper feeders like the
Homestead Super Stop-A-Squirrel. For the serious backyard
birder there is the Droll Yankees' Yankee Flipper that
(harmlessly) propels the squirrels off of the feeder with a
battery operated device activated by the squirrel's weight.
One of the major problems bird watchers have with squirrels
is the raiding of our feeders, but that's not the only
problem. The squirrel's diet is made up mostly of nuts,
fruits, plant buds, seeds and flowers, depending on the
season and what's available locally. However, squirrels are
not vegetarian. They also eat bird eggs and nestlings that
they will snatch right out of birdhouses. They may pounce
on unsuspecting birds at feeders also.
There are two clear strategies for solving the problem of
keeping squirrels away from your feeders and birdhouses.
You can prevent the (cute) pesky rodents from gaining
access to your treasures, or you can give them a better,
alternate place to dine.
Let's tackle the preventative strategy first. There are
some very simple ways to keep your birdhouses and feeders
safe from squirrel damage. And let me add here that it is
imperative to keep your birdhouses safe from possible
predation. You can build your own predator guard from my
plans or you can purchase squirrel baffles, which come in a
variety of styles, sizes, shapes and colors.
The important point here is to keep squirrels away from
your feeders and birdhouses right from the start. Squirrels
are very persistent and once they find an easy source of
food, they will try to overcome any obstacle you may put in
their way.
Squirrels are extremely agile and can leap eight feet or
more and climb almost anything. For this reason alone, if
you have squirrel problems in your yard, keep your bird
feeders and birdhouses at least eight feet away from any
tree limbs or man-made structures and install baffles on
the supporting posts.
If you must hang your bird feeders in trees, you will want
to keep them away from the main trunk and equip them with a
dome baffle or simply use a squirrel-proof bird feeder that
is designed with a dome-type top.
Another popular style of squirrel-proof bird feeders is the
caged feeder. The caged feeders have a wire cage around the
feed itself that prevents squirrels from getting to the
seed. They simply put the food out of reach for the hungry
squirrel.
Any of these squirrel-proof bird feeders or baffle feeder
combinations should thwart even the most persistent
squirrels. So let's consider the second strategy of giving
the squirrels a better alternative than your bird feeders
or birdhouses for their banquets.
This strategy involves setting up a squirrel feeding
station somewhere away from your bird feeders with the food
stuffs that squirrels really like. There are several
different squirrel feeders that not only let the squirrels
enjoy the nuts, sunflower seeds and fruit they like the
most, there are some that let you watch their antics as
they feed on one of their favorite foods, corn on the cob.
So whether you love squirrels or hate 'em, I hope I have
given you some solutions to the "squirrel dilemma" that
many birders face. You may even have some new thoughts on
how you can live with squirrels and keep your bird feeders
and birdhouses off limits to these cute, furry critters.
----------------------------------------------------
Larry Jordan has been bird watching for many years and
building birdhouses for over 26 years. For more information
on bird watching, bird houses, feeding wild birds, birds in
the news, bird conservation, and some great bird photos go
to http://www.thebirdersreport.com and sign up for his
newsletter or his RSS Feed.
For quality birding products visit his online store at
http://www.birdsinmyyard.com for some great deals and great
service.
EasyPublish this article: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=47427
0 comments
Post a Comment