You’ve lovingly filled your bird feeder with premium seed, hoping to attract a colourful chorus of British birds, from sparrows and finches to blue tits.
But instead, in swoops a furry acrobat – bushy-tailed, wide-eyed, and utterly shameless. Yes, the squirrel.
While undeniably cute, these crafty critters are birdseed bandits with Olympic-level agility and bottomless appetites. They’ll hang upside down, chew through plastic, and perform aerial stunts just to get a snack.
The result? Your feathered friends go hungry while your feeder turns into a squirrel buffet.
Keeping squirrels out isn’t just about preserving seed – it’s about maintaining peace, protecting your feeder from damage, and enjoying the serene spectacle of birds without the rodent ruckus.
So grab your squirrel-proofing gear – here are three ways to help you win the garden battle.
Jellybean49 – Getty Images
Location, location, location
Remember the 5-7-9 rule: squirrels won’t jump more than 5 feet off the ground, 7 feet across, or 9 feet down. This can be tricky – few spots check all these boxes – but if it’s doable in your garden, it works wonders.
If you need to create space, hang your feeder from a sturdy pole (so it doesn’t blow over in the wind or heavy snow) instead of a tree branch. Squirrels love launching themselves from branches, and a pole with a baffle (more on that below) will stop them in their tracks.
Block their route
Baffles – those cone or dome-shaped barriers – are your secret weapon. For hanging feeders, place them on top. For pole-mounted feeders, attach them below the feeder. You can buy one online or make your own using bendable sheet metal.
For pole-mounted feeders, install the baffle at least five feet off the ground and ensure the feeder is at least seven feet away from anything a squirrel could jump from. The baffle should be at least 17 inches wide for best results. They work best on narrow poles, which will cause the baffle to wobble more and make it harder for squirrels to hold on.
elmvilla – Getty Images
Bring on the spice
Birds aren’t affected by capsaicin – the compound that makes peppers spicy – but mammals, including squirrels, definitely are.
Sprinkling cayenne pepper on your birdseed or using a pre-mixed spicy blend can help deter many squirrels.
While it might not work on every squirrel, most will take one bite, find it unpleasant, and eventually give up raiding your feeder.
Squirrel Baffle
£18.99 at gardenwildlifedirect.co.uk
Squirrel guard pole mounted cone
£28.00 at rspb.org.uk
Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder
£17.47 at sarahraven.com
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