Repel Squirrels From Your Bird Feeder With A Simple Food Addition They Can't Stand

Felix and Rover may get a kick out of watching squirrels wolf down the contents of your bird feeder, but you probably do not. Americans spend billions of dollars on bird feeders and birdseed every year, and the quest for squirrel-proof feeders has given rise to a throng of retailers promoting their particular brand of feeder while experts expound on natural ways to keep the fuzzy rodents from stealing the seeds for themselves. One of the easiest ways to take charge of who eats what is to provide food that birds like, but squirrels don't. Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) seeds have a bitter taste, and since birds have very few taste buds, they don't notice the flavor. Humans and rodents have around 10,000 taste buds, while a chicken, for instance, only has 24. Therefore, changing from sunflower seeds to safflower seeds won't make a difference to the birds.

Nyjer is another seed that squirrels don't like. The small, black seed, a favorite of finches, was introduced in the U.S. in the 1960s. The seeds, rich in oil, are imported from India and Ethiopia. You'll need a feeder with small holes to accommodate nyjer seeds, but since squirrels don't care for the seed, you won't need to worry about them gnawing through your feeder to get to them. Keep in mind that if you don't use a single-seed feeder and nyger is mixed with other seeds in a feeder with larger holes, squirrels may rummage through the seeds looking for the ones they want, leaving a pile of seeds on the ground.

Safflower seeds are more nutritious for birds than sunflower seeds, and they have a thinner shell that's easier for birds to crack and doesn't wind up in unsightly piles under the feeder. Types of birds that'll flock to your feeder once you add safflower seeds include mourning doves, cardinals, jays, woodpeckers, and chickadees. Starlings and grackles, considered nuisances by some, do not. Safflower's benefits extend to humans. The seeds have medicinal qualities used to treat ailments like constipation and psoriasis, and the oil may help prevent heart disease and improve insulin sensitivity, making these seeds handy to keep in your kitchen cabinets for a range of uses.

Squirrels that take their meals at bird feeders are voracious eaters that not only necessitate frequent refills but also keep birds away.  Squirrel-proof bird feeders can prevent the small animals from eating birdseed by incorporating baffles or roofs into their design. They may also include cages that birds can get through, but with a mesh too small for squirrels to reach the food. Additionally, you could deter squirrels from your bird feeder with a tray. Choose a spot for the feeder that's at least 10 feet from any tree, pole, or structure that a squirrel can leap from as a deterrent. If you hang the feeder from a wire, wrap hollow plastic tubing around the wire that will move as the squirrels run across it. Don't coat the pole the feeder sits on or the wire the feeder is suspended from with any type of grease — it mats the animal's hair, making it hard for it to regulate its temperature.