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There’s more than one use for a squirrel baffle
… They’re not just for feeders!That’s mom. bluebird feeding nestlings as dad looks on from his favorite perch – sorry about the poor photo quality. The houses appear closer than they really are, and there are two schools of thought on this: Pairing houses 10-15 feet apart will sometimes eliminate competition for the nest box, while the other is that bluebird houses should be at least 100 feet apart as they’re very territorial birds.
But this setup has seemed to work well in our yard over the years, as titmice or chickadees claim the wooden box, while bluebirds always go to the Gilbertson first. That’s actually a heat shield wrapped around the house, as temperatures were sweltering during the blue’s last brood. One of those car windshield heat deflectors… easy to cut and works perfectly!
Not only for feeders, a squirrel baffle offers protection for eggs and nestlings. Raccoons and squirrels are less likely to mess with babies inside a house if they’re baffled. Curiously puzzled and blocked! In all sizes and shapes, for poles, posts, or hanging, squirrel baffles work when used correctly. This entails sizing up any “horizontal launch point” which is just making sure the furry acrobats can’t jump sideways from anything that would allow access to the house or feeder. Remember the crafty critters’ sideways jumping capability is about ten feet!
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add a squirrel baffle and forget about it!
Whether you feed squirrels or not (yes, many folks actually do) the last place you want to see them is in your bird feeders… period! And inevitably, no matter how much you feed the critters, they’ll still go for your birdseed.The only surefire way we’ve ever witnessed to keep them at bay is by installing a decent squirrel baffle. It’s a one-time investment that promises you’ll never have to deal with the issue again. Some people “grease” their poles, and this may work for a while, but it becomes a continuous chore.
Cylinder and cone shaped baffles are most common fo
r feeder poles. Say you have a shepherd’s hook and the baffle won’t fit around the top or the bottom ground stake? No problem – many of the cone baffles actually open and lock, allowing for placement on the fanciest, and curviest of poles.A hanging baffle is best suited i
f your feeder’s suspended from a tree limb or branch. Baffles like these do double duty, acting as weather guards to protect both food and dining birds from the elements. But be careful, not all weather guards are hefty enough to qualify as an effective squirrel baffle.You can even try to make your own baffle with a few supplies from a home improvement store. Stovepipe type baffles have plans available online, Just do a search “stovepipe baffle”. They can be made from sheet metal or PVC pipe.
Whatever type of baffle you may choose, feeder placement is the key! Make sure there is no horizontal “launch” point for squirrels to jump from, and if hanging, be sure the bottom of the feeder is at least five to six feet from the ground. So heed these precautions… as squirrels’ acrobatic stealth is nothing short of amazing!
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squirrel baffle… baffle, baffle, baffle!
So many folks will mutter: “I can’t feed the birds because of the squirrels”. It’s pure rubbish, nonsense I tell ya! The pesky critters can be foiled so easily and permanently with the use of a good squirrel baffle. This one-time, relatively inexpensive purchase of a good baffle really will solve the problem of squirrels raiding bird feeders.So you have a shepherd’s hook that the squirrel baffle won’t slide over? Ridiculous! They make a great pole-mounted baffle that will go on any kind of bird feeder pole. It’s innovative cone-shaped
design actually opens up and separates to go around the pole, then attaches back together by hooking one end into the others’ locking lip. It’s a powder coat metal, so the squirrel baffle stays looking nice for years. I just spray painted one that has to be twenty-some years old!Should you desire a feeder mounted on a 4×4 post… no worries! An attractive baffle is also available for mounting on wood posts. So, there’s absolutely no reason to let squirrels ruin the enjoyment of backyard birding. A good squirrel baffle, be hanging, pole, or post-mounted will foil squirrels once and for all… the birds will thank you too!
Birding Tips, Information & News
Whether you feed squirrels or not (yes, many folks actually do) the last place you want to see them is in your bird feeders… period! And inevitably, no matter how much you feed the critters, they’ll still go for your birdseed.
