Are you experiencing any frustrations with your backyard bird feeding? Sometimes nuisance situations can sprout up, and they are not exactly ideal. Please find the appropriate category below to discover some suggestions on how to overcome these common problems.

For any further information, please visit the Wild Birds Unlimited Belleville store or call us at 613-771-0571. Our local Certified Bird Feeding Specialists are happy to help you find the right solutions to suit your yard.

 

SQUIRRELS

When you look out into your yard, along with your favourite birds, there may be a variety of other wildlife present. Squirrels (Sciuridae) are among one of the common backyard visitors that could likely be sighted in your surroundings. Keep in mind that having any source of food out will attract wildlife in general.

Squirrels play a crucial role in our environment. They are responsible for seed dispersal and end up planting millions of trees yearly, unknowingly becoming advocates in sustaining our ecosystems. Additionally, they are food sources for other mammals like foxes and other larger birds of prey such as hawks. As frustrating as squirrels may be at your backyard bird feeding station, they are important to have around.

So, how do you combat the squirrels at your bird feeders? We have a number of safe solution suggestions for you!

Location: The placement of your feeder is something to consider when you are trying to keep squirrels off. Squirrels have a jumping distance of approximately 10 feet and they have a jumping height of about 4.5-5 feet. If you can place a free standing pole somewhere in your yard with a 10-foot radius from launch points (deck ledges, roof ledges, tree branches, etc.) then you will have better luck with keeping squirrels from being able to jump from above or the side onto your bird feeders.

The location, in combination with the use of a bottom baffle to keep squirrels from being able to jump onto the pole, will be an effective method of keeping both squirrels and other rodents off of the feeders (this includes rats, mice, voles, and chipmunks). Using a properly designed baffle is key, as they are accurately sized with proportions to successfully stop squirrels from getting past the cone or bell shaped device. Please refer to the photo below for feeder placement and to avoid any squirrels having access. Click here to browse our Advanced Pole System options.

If you cannot possibly find an area in your yard to place the feeder at least 10 feet away from launching points, then you can also add a hanging baffle on top of your feeder station to block any squirrels descending from above onto your feeders. A baffle from both the top and the bottom access points of the feeder would be the next best option if the space in your yard is limited from being able to place a free standing pole in a strategic location.

Be mindful that if there is a deck ledge nearby (ten feet or closer), squirrels will be able to make their way over by jumping sideways to the feeder and bypassing the other obstacles. Our local wildlife have the impressive ability to adapt, but there is always a way to co-exist in peace and harmony.

If location and baffles are not helping with squirrel problems, you can turn to specific kinds of food.

Hot Pepper: Capsaicin is the chemical component in hot peppers that gives them their spicy flavour. We, as mammals, have the pain receptors that cause our tissue to react to the spicy food. Squirrels, mice, voles, rats, raccoons, and even bears, all have the same "pain response". When these mammals try the hot pepper food, they will tend to dislike the intense heat and learn to leave the food alone. Birds do not have these nerve receptors, ultimately being unbothered by the taste.

We carry a variety of different hot pepper foods, including loose seed, seed blends, suet, and other specialty food treated with capsaicin. See below for a selection of the products we offer at WBU Belleville.

 

Sunfire® Chips

Fiery Feast®

 

 

Hot Pepper No-Mess Seed Cylinder

 

Hot Pepper Cranberry Cylinder

 

Hot Pepper SuperSuet® No-Melt Cylinder

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hot Pepper SuperSuet® Cake

 

 

Hot Pepper SuperSuet® No-Melt Cake

 

Hot Pepper Cranberry Cake

 

Hot Pepper Bark Butter Brick®

 

Hot Pepper Bark Butter®

 

Hot Pepper Bark Butter Bits®

 

Blaze the Hot Pepper Squirrel Seed Cylinder

 

Hot Pepper No-Melt Suet Stackable®

 

Hot Pepper No-Mess Stackable®

 

Hot Pepper Cranberry Stackable®

 

Hot Pepper Cranberry Bell

 

 

Safflower: Alternatively, there is a specific type of food that can assist in combatting squirrels that are helping themselves at your bird feeding station. This bird food is a seed called Safflower. This food is considered to be bitter tasting for squirrels. It can also be used to deter blackbirds such as Common Grackles and European Starlings. We carry two varieties, safflower and golden safflower, also known as NutraSaff™. Check out below for some safflower products we offer.

 

Safflower

 

Nutrasaff™ (Golden Safflower)

 

Safflower Cylinder

 

Golden Safflower (NutraSaff™) Cylinder

 

Squirrel Feeders: If you don't mind the opportunist behaviour of squirrels, but may not necessarily want to feed them what you are giving the birds, you can choose to offer other more inexpensive foods in a different area of your yard. Dedicating a "squirrel zone" with food at easier access will be likely to divert their attention away from the bird feeding station(s). These types of foods could be cracked corn or ear corn, for example. We have a squirrel feeder that is designed to hold an ear of corn. Check it out below with a link to the product on our online shop.

 

Squirrel Table and Chair

 

Squirrel-Proof Feeders: If you would prefer not to feed the squirrels at all, consider our squirrel-proof line by Canadian brand Brome Bird Care Inc. They are designed with a spring mechanism that closes down as soon as the weight of a squirrel is on it (this applies to both Red Squirrels and Eastern Grey Squirrels - black, grey, and brown coloured).

Canada's own Brome brand feeders are quite effective and truly squirrel-proof. Once squirrels have discovered that it requires a large amount of energy, with little to no pay off, they will leave the feeder alone. Keep in mind that the placement of the feeder should be at least 18" away from a ledge or branch that they may sit on and reach into the feeding ports without having to jump onto the feeder itself. Making sure to place the feeder correctly will maximize the effectiveness of the feeder. Each feeder comes with a user manual. Check out the options we have below in the Brome Bird Care line.

 

Eliminator™ Squirrel Proof Feeder

 

Fundamentals Squirrel Proof Feeder

 

Squirrel Buster® Mini

 

Squirrel Buster® Suet

We also carry a weight-adjustable squirrel-proof Peanut Feeder and Finch Feeder.

 

Exclusion Cages: As an option to add to a feeder. The bird feeder would be placed inside the cage, allowing smaller birds access, but blocking squirrels from getting to the food source. This would be successful in keeping European Starlings out of the feeder as well. Check out some options we have below.

 

Tube Feeder Cover - 1 1/2" (Green)

 

Tube Feeder Cover - 1 1/2" with Metal Tray (Green)

 

 

 

BLACKBIRDS (GRACKLE, STARLING, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD)

    

Blackbirds are a commonly used term for any songbird species that are mainly black in appearance. For the purpose of this webpage, all birds that can be considered to be a nuisance bird, will be referred to as blackbirds. This includes Common Grackles, European Starlings, Red-Winged Blackbirds (as seen in photos above), as well as Cowbirds.

Are you looking to mitigate the blackbirds in your yard? We have compiled some helpful and effective suggestions on methods that can be used to limit their bossy and dominant behaviour at your backyard feeding stations.

Specific foods can help to deter or even completely stop blackbird activity. Keep in mind that offering the foods listed are a commitment and may take a period of time for the other bird species to transition and adjust to the new foods.

Safflower: One type of specific bird food is a seed called Safflower. This seed has a thicker shell, and is considered to be unappealing to blackbirds. All of your regular seed-eating birds will enjoy it. We carry two varieties, safflower and golden safflower, also known as NutraSaff™. The golden safflower variety does have a shell that is slightly thinner, however, has been reported to be quite effective when used. Safflower seed is known to be bitter to squirrels and can be useful as a deterrent (see above in squirrel solutions). Check out below for some safflower products we offer.

 

Safflower

 

Nutrasaff™ (Golden Safflower)

 

 

Safflower Cylinder

Golden Safflower (NutraSaff™) Cylinder

 

 

Pure Suet: Another type of food you can offer that will generally be uninteresting to the blackbirds is a pure suet. This type of suet is simply the rendered beef fat base and no other added ingredients. All of your insect and fat eating birds will still enjoy it, and it will save you from feeding all of the blackbirds a daily (or hourly) suet cake. See below for the Canadian pure beef suet option that we have in store for sale.

 

 

 

Aside from using specific types of food to deter blackbird activity, you can opt for a feeder or feeder accessory that can block their access. This would allow for you to be able to offer just about any type of food for the birds, and should limit the blackbird visitors, or at least make it more difficult and tiring for them to try and get very little food out of the feeder. Listed below are some options.

Squirrel-Proof Feeders: We carry a wide variety of squirrel-proof feeders by our Canadian brand Brome Bird Care Inc. They are designed with a spring mechanism that closes down as soon as the weight of a squirrel is on it. Some of the squirrel-proof feeders are able to be adjusted on the spring mechanism, allowing the feeder itself to become more sensitive to the weight of a larger bird, such as blackbirds. When the adjustable spring is loosened to the most sensitive setting, typically it will make it more difficult and perhaps impossible for the blackbirds to get a snack. In some cases, we have seen and heard of the blackbirds hopping along the mechanism in order to get one small morcel at a time and bypassing the spring mechanism. However, it is clear that the blackbirds are not getting much payoff from the feeder, as it causes them to use a lot of energy for very little reward. Check out some options for weight-adjustable Brome feeders with links to the product on our online shop.

 

Eliminator™ Squirrel Proof Feeder

 

Squirrel Buster® Suet

We also carry a weight-adjustable squirrel-proof Peanut Feeder and Finch Feeder.

 

We want to help maximize your joy out of the bird feeding hobby, minimize any frustrations at your feeding stations, and keep everyone safe while doing so. There is always a way to find balance and harmony within your backyard sanctuary. Come on in to the store or shop online at https://order.wbu.com/belleville. We look forward to assisting you with all your backyard bird needs!

 

...MORE SOLUTIONS COMING SOON!