Squirrels: Are they just rats with better PR? Be advised that this is not safe reading material for squirrel lovers, or even squirrel apologists. In my opinion, squirrels are worse than rats—smarter, more devious, more destructive. I’ve had them nest in my chimney, chew holes in my eaves to get into my walls, and destroy multiple bird feeders. I even had one chew through an entire 4-by-2 pergola rafter to get at a suet block.

With the popularity of smart bird feeders, it’s even more important to learn ways to keep them out of your yard, lest they turn your investment into a pile of chewed-up plastic bits. To make matters worse, if you live on the West Coast like I do, you’re likely to be dealing with the Eastern gray squirrel, which is a nonnative, invasive species that competes for resources with native species like Western gray squirrels. What’s a backyard bird enthusiast to do?

Lucky for you, I’ve been feeding birds for almost 25 years across three different states, and have been testing smart feeders for the past year, fighting near-daily battles with these furry neighborhood foes. I’ve tried it all and found out what works—and what doesn’t—so you can keep your sanity intact.

For more birdy business, check out our guides to the Best Smart Bird Feeders, the Best Binoculars, and the Best Gifts for Bird Lovers.

The Golden (5-7-9) Rule

First off, there is a tried-and-true method of foiling squirrels, and it’s both free and harmless. Experts refer to it as the 5-7-9 Rule: Keep your feeder at least 5 feet off the ground, 7 feet away from structures like houses, trees, or fences; and 9 feet away from anything overhead that they could jump from, such as a tree branch or roof. This usually means putting your feeder on a pole with a baffle (I use the set above), or hanging it from a tall shepherd’s hook.

If you’re in the market for a bird feeder, especially a smart feeder, it’s imperative that it have the option to hang or be pole-mounted, because if you can only mount it on a fence or a tree, you’re essentially rolling out the welcome mat for squirrels. (All the smart feeders I recommend, including Birdfy and Bird Buddy, include pole mounts.) If you want to go the extra mile, you can also grease your pole with Crisco, which doesn’t last long but is good for an entertaining day or two.

Note that if your smart feeder doesn’t have an attached solar panel to charge the battery, you likely won’t be able to mount it on the pole with the feeder without some jury-rigging, so I recommend going for a model with a built-in solar roof or no solar panel at all.

If, however, a fence, house, or tree is the only way you’re able to mount a feeder—perhaps you don’t have a yard, or a spot that matches 5-7-9 requirements—you still have options.

A Tricky Perch

Full disclosure: I don’t care for TT Nature’s “Birdty” app, but this feeder has an impressively long battery life (about six weeks in my tests); it attaches firmly to a pole with included hose clamps; and, most importantly, its design is truly inaccessible to squirrels. The perch is hinged, so when a squirrel sits on it, a bar over the seed tray lifts up and blocks access to the food. A squirrel will likely try to chew its way through the sides, but will be unsuccessful given that the whole body is metal. (Click the right arrow above to see this mechanism at work.) I’ve also seen squirrels try to pry the metal top off this feeder, but to no avail. Unfortunately, this trick perch also works on larger birds like crows, flickers, and Steller’s jays, but that may be a trade-off you’re willing to make for a squirrel-free experience.

Seed That Squirrels Don’t Like

Some people recommend pouring pepper sauce on seed before adding it to the feeder, or using birdseed treated with capsaicin, the chemical compound that makes peppers spicy. Unlike mammals, birds can’t taste it, nor do they have the receptors to feel its effects. However, I’ve found this only temporarily deters desperate squirrels—within a few days, they’ll get used to it and carry on eating the seed as if nothing’s amiss. I’ve examined smart feeder video footage for even the slightest twinge of discomfort in their beady, obstinate little eyes, to make myself feel better, but have yet to see it.

What does work, however, is nyjer seed, which comes from an annual herb native to Africa. It looks a little like desiccated, wispy wild rice, and you don’t have to worry about it sprouting, as the USDA requires it to be sterilized before it’s sold. You can add it to a regular bird feeder, or just pour it into an inexpensive sock feeder. Either way, the squirrels truly couldn’t care less. The downside is that I’ve found it’s really only appealing to a narrow range of birds—finches and chickadees, mostly—so you won’t get the same variety of backyard visitors that you would with more traditional seed.

What Not to Do

If you’re not able to site a pole mount or procure a squirrel-proof feeder, it may be tempting to take care of nuisance squirrels in a less … humane fashion. As far as hunting and trapping go, rules vary widely by state, municipality, species of squirrel, and licensure requirements. Some states do issue special trapping permits for nuisance wildlife (I may or may not have applied for one myself in a moment of desperation), but most applications require proof that the animal(s) could not be reasonably abated by other methods. Make sure you research your local requirements carefully.

It’s also important to note that dispatching an individual squirrel will only cause another squirrel to move into its place. There’s never just one squirrel. If you see one in your yard, odds are your immediate area is teeming with them. Trapping and releasing squirrels is also cruel, as the released animal is likely to be attacked by other squirrels whose territory it’s invading, and they’re even known to find their way back to your yard from miles away. It’s also ill-advised to poison squirrels, as a sick squirrel is an easy target for raptors, bobcats, coyotes, and other animals, who would then be victims of secondary poisoning.

If You Must Coexist With Them

Some experts recommend giving in and providing them with a food they like, such as corn or peanuts, away from your bird feeders. I’ve found this has ever only brought more squirrels to my immediate area, but your mileage may vary. I’m also a big proponent of the Mark Rober tactic—create an obstacle course or special-edition Squirrelympics, because if you’re going to give up, you may as well get a laugh out of it first.

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