This is a squirrel proof birder feeder arrangement that has worked for me for years. With an aggressive squirrel, you may have to adjust the baffle height or raise the entire system.
Barry
Yes, that type of shield works very well. I had the large, gray plastic one.
I initially had a clear plastic one but the sun eventually destroyed it. The metal one also has the advantage of separating such that you can open it to just clamp it on around the pole.
Axle grease the pole works great. Even the smell keeps them away.
Indi
Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.
I like the idea of applying WD40 or grease to the pole. At least it would be funnier to watch.
I found that greasing the pole only works for one day. After repeated attempts to climb the pole, they will wipe the grease off by the second day.
Another low-cost option that I never had fail is to use one of those plastic 10-12 apple trays with the snaps around the edges - you simply clamp the plastic tray around the pole of the bird feeder and snap the edges together so it stays in place. Simple, it works, and re-purposes the plastic tray. Squirrels can't figure it out or circumvent it, unless there's a tree branch nearby.
troutbum
Loc: north central pennsylvania
The squirrels in my neighbor hood are very good jumpers, so for the cone to work effectively the feeders have to be minimum of 10 feet high and far enough away any object they can climb and jump across. Which equates to 10 feet away and still every now and then there is one that is very determined and will master a way to get to feeders, which shows the will of the wild to survive.
Around my neck of the woods there are several ways to stop the squirrels.
However................The bears!
Gene51
Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
birdman12 wrote:
This is a squirrel proof birder feeder arrangement that has worked for me for years. With an aggressive squirrel, you may have to adjust the baffle height or raise the entire system.
Barry
I use hot sauce. The squirrels hate it and the birds don't care.
Gene51 wrote:
I use hot sauce. The squirrels hate it and the birds don't care.
I wonder what bears think of it
I've used those types of baffles for years with great success. As long as the pole is not near to something the squirrels can jump from, they're practically fool proof.
GPappy
Loc: Finally decided to plop down, Clover, S.C.
I've been using "slinkies" over the pole. They work fine.
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