• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Feeding the birds- help

W

www.records

Quality over Quantity
Ok, well wife decided she wanted a bird feeder. So being the obedient SOB that I am I got her one that I hung from a limb in the shade tree outside our front door. It didn't take long for it to be discovered. The goal was to attract songbirds, but what we have gotten is a bunch of squirrels and black birds. The blackbirds intimidate the more desirable birds and chase them away. This has been going on for about 6 weeks and the problem seems to be getting worse.

I have tried using different types of birdseed, using a mixture that supposedly will attract more songbirds but I notice little difference in the birds attracted. 4 squirrels and a dozen blackbirds can empty a feeder in a hurry. I do see a pair of Cardinals on occasion along with a Wren and several doves but before long the bullies show up and chase them away.

Is there a solution to this or should I just load the Gamo and go into stealth mode? They are beginning to piss me off. Any suggestions to improve the quality of our **** bird/tree rat paradise?
 
Register to hide this ad
Get you a Twirl A Squirrel! One of those gizmos that's motorized and slings the squirrels off.

Not much you can do about other birds though, other than supplying feed they don't like.
 
The only effective way I've found to keep squirrels out of our feeders is to hang them on a tall shepherd's hook with a squirrel baffle below the feeders. I agree, not much you can do about the other birds, but if you keep the squirrels away, many of the other birds will probably return.
 
I have to go to Lowes later today and will look and see what they have. Never heard of a twirl a squirrel, but they sound pretty cool if they fling the varmits around the yard. A tall shepherds hook sounds like it would be cost effective.

Thanks for the feedback.
 
This one works well for perching birds.
http://bromebirdcare.com/products/classic/

For platform-feeding birds (e.g., cardinals), a platform feeder on a pole with a "squirrel baffle" will work well. If your feeder is mounted on a slender pole, a length of 3" or 4" PVC pipe around the feeder pole and reaching up a few feet will thwart squirrels effectively.

Keep the feeders at least 6 feet from overhanging tree branches and, ideally, anything else from which squirrels can jump.
 
www.records said:
Ok, well wife decided she wanted a bird feeder. So being the obedient SOB that I am I got her one that I hung from a limb in the shade tree outside our front door. It didn't take long for it to be discovered. The goal was to attract songbirds, but what we have gotten is a bunch of squirrels and black birds. The blackbirds intimidate the more desirable birds and chase them away. This has been going on for about 6 weeks and the problem seems to be getting worse.

I have tried using different types of birdseed, using a mixture that supposedly will attract more songbirds but I notice little difference in the birds attracted. 4 squirrels and a dozen blackbirds can empty a feeder in a hurry. I do see a pair of Cardinals on occasion along with a Wren and several doves but before long the bullies show up and chase them away.

Is there a solution to this or should I just load the Gamo and go into stealth mode? They are beginning to piss me off. Any suggestions to improve the quality of our **** bird/tree rat paradise?
Click to expand...

I hear you and feel the same way about this because we've encountered the same problem as well. I'm just short of getting my pellet gun and start knocking off those Crows and Squirrels!
 
I have a feeder hung on a branch above the deck in back. I don't use the old deck for anything since the kids grew up and moved on. I like the squirrels and ducks and Ibis' that come around too, so I put feed on the deck and sunflower seeds. Now the 'varmints' keep to the deck and ignore the feeder. The cardinals an jays and sapsuckers or whatever and even the woodpeckers share the feeder.

It's getting expensive though, the squirrels have told all their buddies so I sometimes get as many as 30 squirrels of a morning! But it fun to see the duck mom and her dozen ducklings come for breakfast.
 
try a sign like this one:D:D
homesign2.jpg
 
You need to grease the pole too. Nothing funnier than seeing a squirrel trying to climb a greased pole. The Gamo won't help but will be more fun. Do not put any Millet based feeds in there. Nobody except Squirrels eats it and mostly it gets kicked to the ground where the rats and mice love it. Search the net for bird feeder problems because the trick is in the feeder and food types if you are trying to avoid certain big birds.
 
RichPA said:
The only effective way I've found to keep squirrels out of our feeders is to hang them on a tall shepherd's hook with a squirrel baffle below the feeders. I agree, not much you can do about the other birds, but if you keep the squirrels away, many of the other birds will probably return.
Click to expand...

I've been feeding birds for about 40 years now, and this is the truth. I have a pole with four hooks and a squirrel baffle attached. To keep pigeons and starlings away, you can get cages that the feeders mount inside of. The smaller birds are able to climb inside the cage, to get to the seed. Make sure you place the pole far enough away from anything a squirrel can launch themselves from. I buy my feeders and seeds from a local Wild Birds Unlimited store. If there is one in your area, they'll have what you need to defeat the squirrels!
 
By blackbirds can I assume you mean grackles(starlings)? Grackles are an invasive species and highly undesirable. Shoot them. After you shoot 5-10 they will wise up and stay away.

Around here we have red squirrels and gray squirrels. The reds are useless rodents. They are too small to eat. If they get into a building they can cause more damage than mice or rats. They are smaller than the grey squirrels but are better fighters and will kill or drive away gray squirrels and will kill gray squirrel young when they find them. I shoot every red on sight. They too learn that visiting my bird feeder is risky business.

If the squirrels you have are grays and fox squirrels.....well they are very delicious but I would only shoot them in the fall after the young are out of the nest. Until then try some of the suggestions posted above to keep them out of the feeder.

My feeder is coming down real soon as I should be getting a visit from a black bear any day now and bears are not gentle with feeders.
 
Grackles are not invasive; they are native and it is illegal to shoot them AFAIK. The Cornell lab notes that they're destructive to corn and that there "have been eradication campaigns" - but I don't know how those were authorized.

Perhaps the previous poster is referring to starlings which were introduced from the Old World and are nuisance birds. Not sure they can be killed without a permit, though.
 
Last edited:
mhardy6647 said:
Grackles are not invasive; they are native and it is illegal to shoot them AFAIK. The Cornell lab notes that they're destructive to corn and that there "have been eradication campaigns" - but I don't know how those were authorized.

Perhaps the previous poster is referring to starlings which were introduced from the Old World and are nuisance birds. Not sure they can be killed without a permit, though.
Click to expand...

You are right. Grackles have a black bill and starlings have a yellow bill. The ones I have been picking off are the starlings. Obnoxious birds with an annoying call they chase the robins off my lawn when they show up, so I take the side of the underdog.:uzi:
 
Have you tried 100% safflower seed? The squirrels and the grackles like any feed with corn or sunflower seeds but around here, they don't care for the safflower seeds in the least. However, the small songbirds (ie. finches, cardinals, chickadees, etc.) LOVE the safflower seed. With the numbers of the little birds we attract, we joke and say we have aphids hanging on the finch feeders. I rarely see a grackle or squirrel, but the neighbors who put out the usual mixed feed are just besieged by them.
 
rswojo said:
You are right. Grackles have a black bill and starlings have a yellow bill. The ones I have been picking off are the starlings. Obnoxious birds with an annoying call they chase the robins off my lawn when they show up, so I take the side of the underdog.:uzi:
Click to expand...

Youre doing bird lovers a favor.
Starling population shot from 200 to 2 million in under a decade.
They are killing songbirds and the eastern bluebird. Yes they squabble with robins even.
They are a strong beautiful bird but they are causing havoc with the songbird populations.
Grackles are cool black birds who mainly eat scraps. Careful not to shoot any catbirds either. They are a beautiful songbird that people often mistake for a starling.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom