Even though squirrels are very cute little fellows, they’re also intelligent and very devious. Instead of spending their time foraging for food they’re easily clever enough to spend their time raiding the bird feeders that you’ve put in your garden instead!

Any wooden, tube, or ground feeders in your garden are in danger from these little thieves, and the answer to your problem may be squirrel proof bird feeders.

For those of you with normal bird feeders you should really position your feeder in a clear and open area where there is at least 10 feet between the feeder and the nearest tree or other object from which the squirrels can jump on to the feeder. The feeder should also be mounted on a pole so that it’s at least 5 feet or more off the ground.

This position may help to keep your bird feeders safe, at least for a little while. Unfortunately this is unlikely to last for very long, and you will probably have to resort to tricks like keeping black oil sunflower seeds in a pile some distance away from your feeder. However, no matter what you try and whatever tricks you use, the squirrels will eventually find where you’ve kept the bird feeder and they’ll begin to eat again. A specially designed squirrel proof bird feeder maybe just what you need.

By the way, have you looked in our new Bird Feeder Store for squirrel proof bird feeders? There’s usually a great selection and you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding something.

You’ll be glad to hear that there are many squirrel proof bird feeders on the market today. These feeders have become more sophisticated and actually more entertaining for the bird watcher, although I’m sure that’s not their purpose. The long running battle between man and squirrels takes a turn for the interesting as the Yankee Flipper becomes the bird feeder manufacturing industry’s answer to the squirrel problem.

Squirrels have the size, strength and the intelligence to take over any unprotected bird feeders, so a feeder that can use their own size to repel them is a great innovation. These squirrel proof bird feeders are battery powered, and the motor is activated by the heavier weight of the squirrels. When the squirrel comes and sits on the perch its own weight triggers the perch to spring shut. This closing action can send the squirrel flying through the air. After the squirrel has left and his weight has gone, the feeder opens up again.

You can also try using baffle and feeder combos to try and keep the squirrels away from the bird feeder. Large domes or tubes are used to stop the squirrel reaching the bird food. Because the squirrel can’t jump over or around the dome or climb around the tubes, they have trouble getting to the bird feed.

Another type of squirrel proof bird feeder is the caged feeder. These keep the squirrels out of the seeds by surrounding a tubular feeder with a wire cage that has only small bird-sized openings to the food.

So, even though no bird feeder is guaranteed squirrel proof, your bird visitors can more than likely enjoy their bird seed in peace and the latest squirrel proof bird feeders will send the thieving squirrels flying – literally!

Squirrel Proof Bird Feeders is from Bird Feeders

Apart from the nectar of the flowers, hummingbirds also enjoy eating the bugs and insects and also sipping the nectar syrup from humming bird feeders. With many different varieties of hummingbirds around, there is a good chance that you’ll see at least two or more darting in between the flowers.

Believe it or not, a humming bird needs to eat over half it’s body weight every day. That’s why it’s a good idea to have humming bird feeders situated in a few different places in your garden – it can really help them in their continuous search for food.

There are many different humming bird feeders you can have in your own garden. You can opt for the functional type feeders, which are really only for the feeding of humming birds, or you can build an attractive retreat by using some of the fancier hummingbird feeders in different spots.

One place it’s always worth looking is eBay. Here’s a small selection of what they have under hummingbird feeders;

The humming bird feeders from HummZinger are pretty good. They can be hung next to plants, flowering trees or bushes that humming birds usually like. These feeders have sort of flower shaped feeding holes with round perches that go right the way around the edge, so that lots of hummingbirds can sit and drink nectar from the feeder. It’s manufactured from a ultar-violet-stable plastic which is thought to be one of the more durable materials around. These HummZinger hummingbird feeders are also safe for the dishwasher which makes them really easy to clean.

Another variety of hummingbird feeders is the Perky Pet. They offer a huge range of designs to pick from. Some of them are made in the shape of apples and strawberries. They are bright red which really helps to draw the birds because humming birds adore the color of red.

The bottom (which is green) is resistant to drips. It also has three holes for feeding which are shaped like white flowers. Although this feeder doesn’t have any where for the birds to perch, it is shatter proof and is a good size, holding almost 48 ounces of nectar.

Sipping nectar from the trumpet vine is something huming brds love to do, so it’s just as well there are special feeders made from glass which are designed to look just like a trumpetvine shape. They look a bit like a Ferris Wheel except it doesn’t turn, and each one of the feeding places has it’s own perch which is adjacent to a metal container with the separate flowers in them.

There is also a hummingbird feeder which draws it’s inspiration from a perfume bottle from the nineteen hundreds. The feeder is made of clear glass and is hand-blow, with each of the feeding ports being in a hexagonal shape of a bottle. The feeding stations are all made to look like a red flower so as to entice the humming bird. Each of the imitation bottles in these kinds of hummingbird feeders contains almost ½ of a cup worth of nectar.

There are other humming bird feeders from Perky Pet, including the Oasis variety. These particular hummingbird feeders have an ant moat built-in, which is placed between the feed holes and the bar. It has six feeding ports and each one has it’s own perch with a yellow feeding port shaped like a flower.

Most of the humming bird feeders are red because this is an irresistable invitation to them to come and feast in your garden. Any passing humingbird can be lured by adding more red to your garden, and with a bit of luck you’ll have the lovely birds arriving in droves to brighten up your garden even more.

Humming Bird Feeders That Work Well is from Bird Feeders

While many of the bird feeders add a decorative touch to your garden, a wooden bird feeder will provide functionality with the added benefit of an environmental look.

There are lots of companies that will sell you a wooden bird feeder to fit your budget. The number of different bird feeders is huge, so we’ll only list a few of the major types here. Hopper feeders are a good choice because they have the advantage of letting many birds perch and eat at the feeder.

The platform hopper by Backyard Nature Products has the capability of allowing numerous birds to eat in peace and the large perching area makes sure that competition for food isn’t ever an issue.

The hopper can hold 3 quarts of seed and the easily removable patented tray design lets you clean the trays without any hassle. This hopper bird feeder is made from Inland Red Cedar and the plexiglass sides let you see the amount of seed left in the hopper’s reservoir. Also, because the paint that is applied on the wooden bird feeder is non-toxic and AA water-based stain varnish it doesn’t pose a hazard for the environment.

The Schrodt Little Songbird Lantern is made entirely from recycled Redwood. A wooden bird feeder like this can attract small birds like Chickadees and Finches. Although it’s not designed as a Humming bird feeder, you may be lucky enough to draw some.

This feeder type has a small hopper seed feeder. The top loading roof is great and protects the seeds from the elements and also allows you easy access for cleaning out this particular wooden bird feeder. There is also a perch clean out system to remove seed wastage from the feeder.

They have a deep narrow feeder bowl and its turned edges prevents seeds from being kicked out of the wooden bird feeder. This hopper also has plastic see-through sides to view the seed level in the hopper. A nice touch is the decorative pine cone that is hung at the bottom of the feeder, which you can fill with peanut butter or suet to provide another tasty food source.

Another type of wooden bird feeder that’s functional and decorative at the same time is one made from hand-crafted rescued wood from the Ozarks. How’s that for recycling? The green latex paint on the roof and the base gives a weather-proofing look to the whole bird feeder.

This special treatment keeps the interior of the bird feeder safe and clean. There’s a strong green colored rope that comes with it which is used for hanging the feeder. This wooden bird feeder can hold about 1½ pounds of seed.

So, as you see it’s definitely possible to combine beauty with practical functionality. The great thing about a wooden bird feeder is the fact it will blend in with your garden’s environment and will also allow you to see the birds interact with each other on the wooden bird feeder. This bird feeder will provide years of birding pleasure and make a great gift as well.

Which Wooden Bird Feeder to Choose is from Bird Feeders

They usually come in two different models, one designed to serve thistle seeds or nyjer seeds, and the other designed to dispense mixed seed varieties. For each type of seed, you’ll get different bird species coming to your feeders.

The thistle seed Tube Feeders are long and thin and have lots of little perches next to the many small slotted feeding ports. Birds such as Woodpeckers, Pine Siskins and House Finches will enjoy eating at this type of feeder as well. Because these bird types are relatively small they can easily and comfortably fit on the small perches.

This particular perch size will also discourage larger birds such as Grosbeaks, Cardinals, Doves, Blue Jays, Grackles and Blackbirds from coming and eating at your Tube Feeders. If you want to attract these kinds of birds you should take a look at hopper hopper feeders or ground feeders instead.

By the way, it’s always worth a quick visit to eBay for things like this. Here’s just a few of the tube feeders for sale at the moment;

The patented Upside Down Thistle Tube Feeders are also great at discouraging unwanted bird types from feeding in your garden. This is because the feeding holes are actually placed underneath the perches. Thus, any bird that wants to eat from these particular Tube Feeders must be willing and able to cling upside down and eat. This usually discourages a lot of birds but will readily attract Goldfinches and Pine Siskins. They are known to be quite acrobatic and don’t mind feeding while hanging upside down.

If you prefer to serve mixed seeds or black oil sunflower seeds then you’ll need to take a look at the Tube Feeders which have feeding ports which allow for the dispensing of larger seeds. Like the Thistle Tube Feeders, these feeders also have lots of perches and feeding ports. To reduce the amount of competition near feeding stations, tube feeders that have perches spaced a little bit apart are a good idea.

Of course with the constant menace of squirrels around you might want to find a way of protecting your Tube Feeders from these animals by getting hold of a squirrel proof bird feeder. One way is to invest in a Tube Feeder that has a wire mesh type frame or cage around the feeder. This way only small bird types will be able to feed from these enclosed Tube Feeders.

You will sometimes find Tube Feeders that come with attachments of other tubes which you can the use to create a longer Tube Feeder that will allow more birds to feed at the same time.

Whichever Tube Feeder you decide on though, remember and make sure that you’ll have a clear line of sight to your feeders, half the fun of bird feeding after all lies in watching the antics of the various birds. And this is especially true of the upside down feeder – the picture of fully a dozen or so birds all hanging upside down while they feed is a sight to behold and shouldn’t be missed.

When Are Tube Feeders a Good Idea is from Bird Feeders

As squirrels love to eat most if not all of the food on the feeders, bird lovers are always on the lookout for bird feeders that are squirrel proof, or at least those which will deter them.

The bigger relative size of the squirrels enables them to take over any unprotected bird feeders and drive the birds away. This has made the bird feeder companies take a close look at how they can make their bird feeders more squirrel proof. One company has cleverly developed a bird feeder that uses the squirrel’s own weight against it.

With this feeder, when the squirrel sits on the perch its weight causes the battery powered motor to activate. The motor makes the perch flip up and close the feeder against the squirrel. The squirrel’s own weight causes it to go flying through the air (the squirrel really only tumbles off of the feeder perch).

One squirrel proof bird feeder is called the Yankee Flipper Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder. I know that’s quite a mouthful, but you only need to remember “Yankee Flipper” and the main point is that it does the job very well. You can always find them, and most other squirrel proof bird feeders, on eBay. Here’s a small selection of what’s available right now;

Besides these there are many other ways that have been tried in the eternal war against squirrels. Baffles and feeder combinations are one of the more common ways bird feeder manufacturers have tried to address the problem. With these, a squirrel proof baffle is put on a pole mounted feeder below the feeder.

The baffle should be above the feeder if the bird feeder is being hung from a strong chain. The baffle is actually a large dome that the squirrel has to somehow jump over or climb around. It has great difficulty doing this because the surface is so smooth and slippery.

Another type of squirrel proof feeder is a tube feeder. These have the food enclosed by a wire cage, and the idea is that the holes of the cage are too small for the squirrel to get to the seed, but they are just the right size for birds to eat their seeds in peace. This feeder is called a Caged Bird Feeder.

If you’re creative at all, you can squirrel proof your own feeder by putting it on a wire mounted platform. You’ll need to attach the two ends of the wire to two sturdy and strong walls or posts. Between the feeder and the posts you should put some plastic or PVC tubing on the wire. Do this so that when the squirrel tries to walk over the tubing to get to the feeder the slippery tubing will spin, thereby causing the squirrel to lose its balance.

One of the main things to keep in mind throughout your “fight” with squirrels is that they are persistent, agile and acrobatic. One of the best ways to squirrel proof your feeders is to put them in a spot away from things such as trees, railings and roofs that squirrels can launch themselves from. This means at least eight to ten feet away from those places, and your feeder should also be kept at least four feet above the ground, in the way that pole bird feeders are.

This is the most important way to squirrel proof your bird’s food from squirrels. At the end of the day, if none of this works, you could always just throw in the towel and start feeding the squirrels as well!

How to Squirrel Proof Your Bird Feeder is from Bird Feeders

When you start building your own bird feeder, make sure you get hold of some wood that has been properly treated to prevent it splitting or rotting when it gets wet. Consider using something like exterior grade plywood which is perfect for the job, preferably from a sustainable source. Wood with a thickness of 0.5 to 1 centimeter is ideal.

Any piece of solid timber will make an excellent base for a bird table feeder. There isn’t really a maximum size, but try not to make the table too small or the birds will have to fight for room and the smaller birds might be kept away. A piece which measures 30cm x 50cm will probably be about the right size.

You should fix a rim about 1 cm high around the edge. This will help stop the bird food from falling or being knocked or blown off. It’s a good idea to leave gaps at the corners to allow rain to drain away and to make cleaning easy.

Before you assemble the pieces, sand them smooth to remove crevices that can hold dirt and disease. It is best to leave the table itself untreated.

If it must be treated to prolong its life, use a selected water-based preservative such as Fenceguard or Sadolin and make sure that it is completely dry before use.

Another tip is to put a few nails or hooks in the edges of the table. These will be useful for hanging out nut or seed feeders or fat balls.

If you’re up to it you can put a roof on your bird feeding table. This is great for offering some protection to feeding birds from the rain, snow and hunting sparrowhawks. You might find that some birds may even roost at night on a table with a roof.

It also provides a dry place for seed hoppers and nut containers. Be careful though, as a roof can sometimes deter the more shy and larger birds from visiting. In most cases an open table is really just as good.

Once you’ve got your bird feeder built, make sure to secure it properly. You can either put weights over the feet, or even better, drive a couple of pegs into the ground next to each foot and tie a good quality rope between the pegs. This will help prevent the bird feeder falling over if it gets a bit windy, or if a cat tries to climb it.

Quick and Easy Bird Feeder Plans is from Bird Feeders

Often, birds prefer to stay in feeders that are placed some distance away from or above the ground, and this is where having a Pole Bird Feeder may be just what the doctor ordered.

If you use Pole Bird Feeders you’ll be encouraging many different kinds of birds to come and eat from your garden. As soon as you start shopping you’ll discover that there are many different pole feeders that you can buy.

Various pet stores, not to mention the internet, will show you the different styles and sizes that are available for someone buying a Pole Bird Feeder. Obviously the prices of these feeder poles will vary according to the size and features that they’ll have. Also, it’s always worth a look on eBay for something like this. Here’s just a few of the pole bird feeders for sale right now;

A reasonable price for a good quality Pole Bird Feeder will be about twenty dollars. Even though this isn’t very expensive it may well come with all the requirements that you need for your garden bird feeder. The best way to buy a Pole Bird Feeder is to first do a little bit of homework. This will let you know everything you need to know about Pole Bird Feeders.

You should buy a Pole Bird Feeder that is suitable and appropriate for the job that you have purchased it for. There are three types of feeders that you can use a pole feeder for. They are platform feeders, hopper feeders and tube feeders.

A platform feeder resembles a sort of flat box style feeder. These feeders can be hung from a tree, fixed to a pole, or even set on the ground on its own legs. Birds that prefer not to eat directly from ground feeders will flock to this platform Pole Bird Feeder. They include birds like Juncos, Doves and Sparrows.

Hopper feeders come in a wide range of styles and sizes. The miniature barn design is the more traditional hopper feeder style, and with this type of feeder you don’t have to refill it daily because it holds a huge store of seeds.

To be able to clean and refill the feeder without any problems, it is best that you pole mount this type of feeder. Of course you can also hang the feeder from a nearby tree.

Using this hopper feeder as a Pole Bird Feeder makes the cleaning process much easier due to the roof lifting action and the pole provides greater flexibility to the feeder.

Tube feeders should be hung from somewhere away from squirrels or their jumping off points. They can also act as a Pole Bird Feeder. Tube feeders are long cylindrical tubes which have lots of small perches near the feeding holes. The feeding ports can be big or small openings for different birds and they are usually filled with thistle, nyjer or sunflower seeds.

Pole Bird Feeders are great for encouraging lots of bird types to your garden, but having a Pole Bird Feeder is also a great way to discourage bird-eating cats from pouncing on your feathered guests.

When Should You Use Pole Bird Feeders is from Bird Feeders

Of course there are lots of bird feeders that you can put in your garden, but you might want to consider Hopper Feeders – they’re an excellent choice for the novice.

Hopper Feeders are also sometimes called Wood feeders, but they shouldn’t be confused with wooden bird feeders. This feeder is great because birds will feel very comfortable with them. The Hopper Feeders also blend in very well with the rest of your garden and the surrounding environment.

If you’re not sure where to find a hopper feeder, it’s probably worth a quick look on eBay. Here’s a small selection of what they have available right now;

If you spend the extra money and get hold of a kiln dried Hopper feeder made from good quality Western Cedar wood, you’ll find it lasts for a long time and it will weather to a beautiful silver gray color.

Another great thing about Hopper Feeders is that you can use them right through the year. Most Hopper Feeders have all-weather screws to help the feeder stand up to whatever type of weather your region will experience.

The top of the feeder has easy access which makes storing bird feed and opening the feeder for cleaning a breeze, and since the Hopper Feeder is made from wood the rain will simply run off the top leaving all the seeds inside nice and dry.

Some birds will prefer to eat from a feeder that has a solid perch or platform for them to stand on. Northern Cardinals, Bluejays, Chickadees, Finches and others will always come visit this sort of feeder. Owning one of these large-sized feeders like the Hopper Feeders will allow you to keep several pounds of sunflower and other seed mixtures in it without any worries.

Needless to say, this will mean that you’ll spend less time refilling the feeder and more time spent on bird watching. Of course the larger seed capacity is very important during the winter. The cold winter season means that with less food in the wild, the birds will depend much more on you. Your Hopper Feeders will then provide them with a valuable source of food.

Hopper Feeders come in a wide range of sizes but a good sized Hopper Feeder will measure about 11½ inches in length, 9½ inches in height and its width will be 9½ inches. Because these feeders are made from wood you’ll need to take care where you place them in your garden. Squirrels will take apart any Hopper Feeders that have no protection around them.

Because of this, make sure that your wooden Hopper Feeders are in an place that has no trees or jumping points nearby for squirrels to take advantage of. Getting yourself a good squirrel baffle is another way to deal with the pesky problem.

On the other hand, if you actually like these little furry friends you could just place some extra seed away from your Hopper Feeders for the squirrels to enjoy. But whatever you decide to do, buying any of the Hopper Feeders available will only enhance your garden and ultimately bring a great many more birds to it.

Hopper Feeders Are a Great Choice For Beginners is from Bird Feeders