Squirrel on feeder.
Karan A. Rawlins, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
If you have bird feeders in your yard, you have probably waged war against squirrels. I know whenever I put up bird feeders in my backyard, the squirrels that frequented my yard certainly put on some weight from the amount of food they were eating! I hardly had any birds visiting my feeder, and it was disappointing.
Spicy Bird Seed
My first attempt at fighting back was through food. I bought the spicy bird food blend marketed to deter squirrels and other mammals from eating the food. These formalized birdseed blends, or hot pepper blends, are typically more expensive than regular birdseed and contain capsaicin, which is added to the seed mixes in a powder or oil form. Capsaicin is naturally found in chili pepper plants and other plants from the genus Capsicum. Capsaicin causes the intense reaction that most people experience whenever they eat something that contains chili peppers. The varying levels of capsaicin in a plant cause varying levels of ‘heat.’ Mammals, like gray squirrels, react to capsaicin, which evokes a pain-like sensation of burning and pain (we all know that feeling whenever we eat something too spicy for us to handle). The same receptor that causes the burning sensation in mammals does not act the same way in birds; thus, the hot seed does not impact birds.
Whenever I tried the hot pepper seed in my feeders, I had mixed reviews. I found that it prevented one squirrel from eating the seed temporarily. But they would eventually come back, even after experiencing the heat. I also have many squirrels, so it was a constant battle. In addition, my squirrels did not seem to get the memo that the capsaicin was supposed to deter them; in fact, I think some became fond of the extra spice, or maybe they had short-term memory. Either way, I determined that method would not work for me, and I needed to try something else.
Squirrel baffle on bird feeder.
Mallory Maher, ©2024, Clemson Extension
Raccoon baffle on bird feeder.
Mallory Maher, ©2024, Clemson Extension
Squirrel Guards
I won my battle against the squirrels when we decided to put squirrel baffles on the poles to my feeders. I went with a smaller baffle for my front yard feeder that is more geared towards squirrels, and I put the raccoon baffle on the backyard feeder because I have a heavier (both in weight and population) squirrel presence back there, and we have also had raccoons. Once I put these guards on, I have never had a squirrel issue again. They are not able to climb up the pole, and the feeders are placed far enough from trees that they cannot jump onto the feeders from the tree. I highly recommend this method if you are able! There are also feeders out there that are squirrel “resistant” and can be effective too.
Hot Seed is Effective, Not Perfect
There are situations where a guard on your feeder is not practical—for example, a window feeder or a hanging feeder from a deck. There are studies out there that show that capsaicin-covered feed is successful at deterring squirrels, skunks, raccoons, and other mammals from the feeder and reduces their time spent at feeders. Other mammals, like chipmunks, seem not to be impacted as much due to their method of storing food and saving it for a later date, so that is something to keep in mind if chipmunks are your issue. It is also important to note that some studies showed that some mammals developed a fondness or taste for the spicy seed mixture, so there might be a time when you must switch up your methods after some time. There is also a safety factor to consider for humans and pets. If you choose to go the route of spicy birdseed, you should be mindful of touching your eyes, nose, and lips after filling or cleaning your feeder or watch out for gusts of wind that might kick up dust from the pepper residue. Rubber gloves are recommended. If you have dogs that might roam around your feeders, the capsaicin in the hot seed may negatively impact your pets and cause a burning sensation.
There are many methods that you can try to deter unwanted pests at your feeder. I recommend that you experiment and find what works best for you! I had the most success adding baffles to my feeder polls, but you might have better luck trying the spicy birdseed! You can also attract birds to your yard by managing their habitat over feeders. For more information, see HGIC 1700, Attracting & Feeding Songbirds.
