Repelling Predators at BirdsAndBackyards.com

Repelling Predators

Many owners of birdfeeders and birdhouses understand the frustration of having squirrels and insects, among other predators, invading the feeder or house. These are some tips to help repel predators from your feeder or birdhouse:

Birdfeeders and birdhouses should be at least 4 feet above the ground to avoid attacks by any walking animal, especially cats. It is especially important to keep feeders and houses away from places reachable by cats, as they are responsible for the death of 5 million wild birds in North America per year and can scare away birds and prevent their return.

Also annoying are squirrels - not because they attack birds, but because they steal their food. You can protect your birdfeeder by using basic squirrel-proof devices (a dome, spinning ring, cages, etc.), or you can simply distract them with a squirrel-feeder in another location. Squirrels will also scare the birds away, so make sure that your birdfeeder is at least 10 feet away from anything, in all directions, to prevent the squirrel from reaching the birdfeeder from a tree branch or fencepost.

Finally, ants can be a problem for hummingbird feeders. The sweet nectar used for hummingbird feeders is also appealing to ants. A simple ant-repelling device can be placed on the hanging chain of the feeder. This is an item covered by a glue-like substance that sticks to the ants and therefore prevents them from reaching the nectar.