By Susan Tomlinson

Some years ago I watched a very entertaining video featuring the antics of squirrels successfully foiling the efforts of homeowners, who were trying to keep them from stealing seed from bird feeders. No matter what sort of obstacle was put in front of them, the squirrels eventually overcame it. The makers of the video even went so far as to create bizarre, complicated puzzles of Rube Goldbergian-proportions, which the squirrels would solve in astonishingly short order to get a peanut. It was hilarious. And instructive.

The take-home lesson was this: If a squirrel takes it in his head to burglarize your feeders, you’re just plain out of luck. The same is probably generally true of any other pest bothering your feeding station. It’s best just to admit defeat straightaway. You’ll be much happier for it.

That said, there are some things that you can do, if not to actually stop the wholesale theft of seed, then to at least to slow it down enough that the raiding of your feeders will quit resembling the frantic desperation of a January white sale.

For squirrels:

1.       Buy squirrel-proof feeders. It won’t really stop them, but it might slow them down enough to make ‘em mad. There’s some satisfaction in knowing this. There are all kinds of models; pick the one that looks funniest to you. At least you’ll get some laughs.

2.       Pay for mob protection. Go ahead and give them what they want up front. I do, and have never had a squirrel bother a single bird feeder, ever. How do I accomplish this? I have three pecan trees in my backyard. Would you eat sunflower or thistle seed when you could have pecans free for the taking? I rest my case.

If you don’t have a pecan crop to offer the little thugs, try putting out dried cobs of corn. You’ll find these, as well as holders for them, in the same aisle where you buy your bird seed and feeders. This alone should tell you something.

For other backyard pests:

3.        Buy “no-waste” seed. Good, high-quality sunflower or thistle seed, with no filler, tends to get eaten up. This means less food will fall and be left on the ground to attract rodents.

4.       Store food in rodent- and insect-proof containers, like metal trash cans with tight lids. And since insect eggs can sometimes come in the seed itself, store it away from your house so that you won’t run the risk of introducing an unwanted guest to your pasta cabinet (ask me how I know about this).

5.       Place feeders and bird baths at least four or five feet away from low bushes and shrubs, where cats and dogs can lie in wait. Birds with wet feathers and ground-feeding birds are both very vulnerable targets for sport hunters.

6.       And speaking of cats, keep them inside, if possible. If it is not possible, hang two small bells from their collars. A wily cat can learn to walk silently with a single bell, but it is harder to do with two. Even so, expect that your cat will still take some casualties. Know the phone number and/or address of your local wildlife rehabilitation center, and make a monetary donation when you drop off your victim.

But I am also of the opinion (not shared by everyone, to be sure) that cats and dogs around the feeding station are not all bad, since they manage to keep the rodents at bay.

7.       Finally, a successful feeding station looks an awful lot like a buffet to a hungry raptor, such as a Cooper’s or Sharp-shinned Hawk. If you are lucky, one will find yours and start hanging around the ‘hood. Rejoice in this, as it means the cycle of life is alive and well in your backyard. If you are squeamish, try not to watch. 

There are always trade-offs in life, and pests around the feeding station is probably one of them. If you want the joys of feeding birds, then you will probably also always attract a few unwanted critters as well. However, if you maintain your feeders in a clean, open area, you might be able to lessen the impact of this undesirable situation. Next week, I’ll share some tips for photographing the visitors to your garden. Until then good luck, and good birding.

Image source: author's collection.

Susan Leigh Tomlinson blogs regularly at The Bicycle Garden. She has a forthcoming book, How to Keep a Naturalist's Notebook (Stackpole).