Smart bird feeders are extremely popular. They offer an incredibly way to watch birds up-close and see them in a way we never could before. But these smart bird feeders are not cheap, and unfortunately, birds are not the only animal that loves seed. Squirrels and raccoons also regularly visit bird feeders. And their presence can be very damaging to your smart bird feeder.
You can prevent squirrels and raccoons from damaging your smart bird feeder by properly mounting it away from trees and other surfaces and installing a stovepipe baffle. Additionally, there are a few other steps you can take to prevent squirrel damage.
- Why squirrel-proofing your smart bird feeder matters
- Top tips for squirrel-proofing your smart bird feeder:
- 1. Properly mount your bird feeder to a pole
- 2. Use a stovepipe baffle to protect your smart bird feeder
- 3. Avoid placing your smart bird feeder under trees or surfaces that squirrels could use to jump from
- 4. Avoid social media solutions like slinkies. They don’t work
- 5. Adding hot sauce to seed (and the ethical concerns)
- 6. Only put out enough seed to last a few hours
- Preventing squirrels does more than just protect your smart bird feeder
Why squirrel-proofing your smart bird feeder matters
Smart bird feeders usually run between $150 – $200, not including all of the add-ons, which is a decent investment for anyone.
Unfortunately, we regularly hear reports about squirrels and raccoons damaging these bird feeders, rendering them completely inoperable.
Squirrels and raccoons can damage your smart bird feeder by chewing on the plastic components and chewing up the wires. Once the electronic hardware is damaged, your smart bird feeder is no longer going to work.
Additionally, squirrels frequenting your smart bird feeder will over-trigger your camera, bog down your app and drain your battery.
So preventing squirrel damage is going to spare your wallet!
Learn more about other important considerations before buying a smart bird feeder here.
Top tips for squirrel-proofing your smart bird feeder:
First of all, nothing is ever 100% effective. And squirrels are extremely persistent. But these tips are our top tips that are your absolute best defense against squirrel damage to your smart bird feeder. We present these tips in order of most effective to least effective (with numbers 1 and 2 being jointly vital).
1. Properly mount your bird feeder to a pole
It’s really easy to nail your bird feeder to a tree, or hang it from a hook. But to really ensure your smart bird feeder is protected from costly squirrel damage, you need to mount your feeder to a metal pole. Do not grease the pole because the grease will transfer to your birds, gunk up their feathers and make it impossible for them to fly.
Most kits come with mounting gear that easily allow you to fix your feeder to a metal pole. So fortunately, it’s not too difficult to do.
The metal pole is going to allow you to easily add a baffle, and make it slightly more challenging for squirrels to climb. But a metal pole alone is not enough to protect your smart bird feeder.
2. Use a stovepipe baffle to protect your smart bird feeder
Adding a stovepipe baffle to the pole in order to protect your smart bird feeder is going to really safeguard your smart bird feeder from squirrels and other climbing mammals.
We swear by these baffles for a reason – they work! An 8 inch in diameter by 24 inch tall stovepipe baffle is going to be a wide enough circumference and tall enough baffle to really protect your feeder.
And no, those cheaper cone-shaped baffles just are not enough to fully protect your smart bird feeder. You might be able to risk it on a traditional feeder because damage to a basic feeder won’t be as costly. But we don’t recommend you using the cheap option to protect such an expensive feeder. Spend the extra money on that extra assurance.
Another important thing about baffle setup is that the baffle must wobble. Think of it like a bell almost, where the baffle will sway back and forth on the pole. This wobbling is very important because it increases instability, which makes it harder for persistent mammals to climb.
Our 8″x24″ stovepipe baffles are exactly the right option to safeguard your smart bird feeder as well as any nest boxes you have.
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3. Avoid placing your smart bird feeder under trees or surfaces that squirrels could use to jump from
We know squirrels are agile and limber and can glide incredible distances in the air. So that makes it all the more important to avoid placing your smart bird feeder under trees, eaves of houses or other tall surfaces that a squirrel or raccoon could jump down from above.
Make sure there aren’t any large boughs hanging over your smart bird feeder too.
If you’re in a situation where you’re surrounded by trees, and you have a healthy stock of wild squirrels in your area, then you may want to rethink a smart bird feeder altogether. I know that’s not what you want to hear because these feeders are really exciting. But you may end up wasting a lot of money once damage occurs.
The good news is, if you are in a wooded area, a great alternative is to use a Blink Outdoor Camera from Amazon*. These motion-detecting cameras are weather proof and can be put all over the place. And since they’re independent of the bird feeder itself, squirrels are less of a worry. You can easily mount it to a tree, a pole, on a platform feeder or anywhere – creativity is key here.
These Blink Cameras also go on sale all the time, making them incredibly affordable.
4. Avoid social media solutions like slinkies. They don’t work
For years, we’ve seen pictures and video going around of people attaching a slinky to a pole in order to deter squirrels. And these slinkies seem to give squirrels a run for their money. But we’ve tested this. Slinkies do not stop squirrels from accessing bird feeders.
Within about 2 weeks – sometimes even less, squirrels have figured it out, and can climb the pole and get the feeder. They just don’t work.
Now, if you don’t have a baffle ready and you’ve just got your smart bird feeder, and you do have a slinky – It’s a good temporary fix until your stovepipe baffle arrives. But slinkies are not good permanent protection solutions for your smart bird feeder.
5. Adding hot sauce to seed (and the ethical concerns)
Adding hot sauce to seed or buying spicy seed mixes are a decent way to deter squirrels. However, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Rain will have its way and wash the spice off your seed blend.
- Squirrels are still going to climb and they’re still going to try to eat the seed. They just won’t hoard it. Therefore, you’ll still want to have your feeder mounted to a metal pole with a stovepipe baffle.
- We don’t love the fact that hot sauce and spicy seed will cause eye irritation. We really are just not in favor of hurting animals. Your feeder should be well protected on a pole with a baffle. We would only suggest applying hot sauce if you’re noticing some occasional infiltration.
6. Only put out enough seed to last a few hours
The benefit of these smart bird feeders is that they allow bird watching from a distance. But a lot of people think these are a set it and forget it bird feeder. They are not.
Smart bird feeders require regular cleaning and battery charging at the very least.
They also need to be refilled. And our last tip here to prevent squirrels is to only put a small amount of seed in the feeder each day. This isn’t going to all-out prevent squirrels. But it is going to limit their hoarding and hogging nature. Pair that with proper mounting and a proper baffle, your your birds will enjoy without squirrels having as much time to figure things out.
The other reason this is an important tip is because it also means you’re not leaving out rancid seed for your birds. Seed quickly gets moldy and goes bad. This leads to sickness and death in birds. It also mucks up your feeder.
So by not filling your feeder all the way, and just filling the tray portion only, you’re ensuring your always providing fresh seed to your birds.
Preventing squirrels does more than just protect your smart bird feeder
Preventing squirrels from accessing your smart bird feeder also helps reduce stress on birds, and may minimize the transfer of diseases and parasite. What this means is that these extra steps to help preserve your feeder are also helping your birds thrive.
By investing a little extra and taking these simple steps, you’re going to really squirrel-proof your smart bird feeder and give your birds a stress-free buffet.
