BirdNotesfrom Sapsucker Woods

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that we can repel jumping squir- rels by placing tilting baffles over a What Can You feeder. Usually, when a squirrel lands on such a baffle, the rodent simply Do About slides off. If your feeder is hung from a branch or suspended from a horizontal line, installing a tilting baffle at Squirrels? least 18 inches in diameter above What’s the single most frustrating, your feeder might just do the trick. annoying, downright infuriating thing a Another hint for suspended feeders: try hanging them from a three-to person is likely to face in backyard - four-foot length of nylon monofila- ing? Most bird watchers probably would ment fishing line instead of wire. If your feeders hang from a horizontal answer emphatically, “-stealing line or wire, place lengths of plastic squirrels.” It’s not enough that the furry tubing around the line; the tubing will spin when a squirrel tries to little felons drive off every songbird in walk on it. the yard and gobble up expensive seed But if your feeder is mounted on a by the bushel; as an added insult deter- pole, you’ll need to set up your baffle below the feeder, because squirrels mined squirrels will rip your bird feeder can climb the slipperiest poles imag- to shreds in the process. What can you inable. In this case, the baffle need not (and probably should not) tilt. do to stop them? You can make a baffle quite easily from a garbage can lid or a similar round object. Or buy a ready-made baffle that fastens to the pole with a clamp. The only truly squirrel-proof feeder in the Lab’s bird garden is a tube feeder that’s mounted on a pole more than 10 feet from cover. It has a 16-inch baffle fastened about a Baffles and Trick Poles Position feeders at least 10 feet from foot below the feeder bottom. The jumping-off points. baffle also serves as a feeding tray For starters, try to make your feed- that catches seed spilled from above. ers inaccessible. That’s no easy task You’ll also need to install baffles on when you’re dealing with an animal all your feeders. Here at the Cor- Squirrel Spooker as acrobatic as a squirrel. These nell Lab of —where we creatures can leap 8 feet horizontally suspect we have the world’s crafti- Instead of—or in addition to—a or jump 11 feet down from a roof est squirrels—we’ve experimented baffle, you could buy a “squirrel or tree branch onto your feeder. a lot with baffle placement. We find spooker” pole. These ingenious

Cornell Lab of Ornithology ◆ 159 Sapsucker Woods Road ◆ Ithaca, NY, 14850 ◆ 607-254-BIRD ◆ www.birds.cornell.edu spooker devices have a moveable corn from your tree. You’ll find that plastic sleeve covering the upper the squirrels will end up spending part of the pole, held in place with a lot of their time feeding on these a simple counterweight system. humble offerings, allowing the birds You might even When a squirrel reaches the plastic to fill up at your feeder. sleeve on its way up to the feeder, come to enjoy Who knows? You might eventu- the sleeve slips down, dumping the ally even come to enjoy the squir- surprised squirrel onto the ground. squirrels. They are, rels. They are, after all, interesting The sleeve then automatically moves creatures in their own right. Their back into place, ready for the next after all, interesting presence will only add to the fun of squirrel. your backyard station, creatures in their Some people suggest coating feeder once you learn to cope with them. poles with grease or glycerin, but own right! we don’t recommend using these For More Information substances—they might be harm- Outwitting Squirrels, by Bill Adler, ful to wildlife. Many chemicals are Jr., is a book that will keep you toxic, and grease can mat feathers or laughing about your furry visitors. fur, which could cause both squirrels Loads of practical solutions, too. and birds to freeze to death. Squirrel-proof Feeders

If your yard has too many squirrel- launching platforms—fences, roof- tops, trees—it may be impossible to keep squirrels off your feeders. And if squirrels are chewing your feeders to bits, you have little choice but to switch to a new feeder made of in- destructible material, such as Lexan. The best feeders also have seed ports reinforced with metal and come with guarantees against destruction by squirrels. Another choice is an all-metal feeder with a counterweighted door that closes automatically, protecting the seed whenever anything heavier than a songbird steps on the feeding platform. Several brands are avail- able on the market. They’re not the prettiest feeders in the world—some Find out more about bird identification and behavior! people would say they’re ugly—but www.allaboutbirds.org they do a good job of protecting expensive seed. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology uses the best science and technol- ogy to learn more about birds and biodiversity. Contributions from If You Can’t Beat ’Em, Join ’Em members help support research, education, and citizen-science projects. As a member you’ll receive a subscription to our award- As a final measure, why not try brib- winning magazine, Living Bird, and more. ing the squirrels with foods that they like more than birdseed? Set out Call (800) 843-2473. Or visit www.birds.cornell.edu to join. some raw peanuts in the shell, throw © 2014 Cornell Lab of Ornithology. some inexpensive cracked corn on the ground, or dangle some ears of Illustrations by C.J. Page

Cornell Lab of Ornithology Bird Notes Number 11: Spring Bird FAQ