The never-ending search for the perfect bird feeder ...

[Whitney168]

Is it just me? I swear I've bought so many over the years. The ones that haven't broken have mostly been retired for various reasons:

• Impossible to clean properly
• Starlings and jackdaws empty them in no time, cheaper to buy a new one than try to keep it full
• Has 'ports and perches' in tube which fall off/break
• Eaten by squirrels.

This morning, yet another seed feeder has bitten the dust.

Have any Mumsnetters found the PERFECT bird feeder? If it's out there, I don't even care how much it costs.

I'll be interested to see the replies. It's wood pigeons, magpies and enormous collared doves that take everything in my case.

Yes, I'd love one that doesn't scatter seed all over the ground...rats (shudder).

They seem impossible to clean as well.

No squirrels where I am - but lots of bleeding seagulls.

I bought my MIL one a few years ago that spins, if anything too heavy lands on it. So squirrels get flung off it!

Rather than those hanging tubes, why not get a table? I just got one, and as a very temporary measure, I have an upturned laundry basket on top! The holes are large enough to let robins, wrens etc inside, but not the sparrows and larger birds.

Sorry, I forgot another vital thing ...

• Must keep the food dry so it doesn't rot quickly.

Following as I have this dilemma too! I have given up filling my feeders (hanging tubes of various designs) as the crows / jackdaws smell it a mile off and within minutes have tipped it all onto the floor. It's such a shame as all the lovely garden birds are left with nothing.

Laughing at the laundry basket on the table but now thinking about a trip to B&M to get one!!!

From suggestions so far ...

Just looked this morning at one of the ones that spins - looked at reviews and first review is 'small birds get their legs trapped in this and die hanging from it' ... so I moved on from that one.

Agree that I've never found one that the seeds don't scatter from, but the pigeons hoover that up well enough for me (although I confess I have just moved my feeders down to the end of the garden as I did see a rat!) Don't normally have this issue, but thought I'd better discourage it, think they are under next door's shed.

Never had much success with keeping enough food in tables but keeping the bigger birds off. Will review it.

If I'm sounding like I knock every idea, believe me I do want to find the right answer, it's just years of bitter experience talking LOL.

@GingerFigs

Following as I have this dilemma too! I have given up filling my feeders (hanging tubes of various designs) as the crows / jackdaws smell it a mile off and within minutes have tipped it all onto the floor. It's such a shame as all the lovely garden birds are left with nothing.

Laughing at the laundry basket on the table but now thinking about a trip to B&M to get one!!!

I've had to give up on anything suet based while the starling and jackdaw fledglings are about, but they're not too bad on the seed.

At one point I put what I reckon was about £10 worth of fat balls and suet blocks out one Sunday and they'd cleared the lot by Tuesday morning LOL. In another month or so, I might tentatively try again on that, when hopefully they'll have cleared off.

I feel your pain. The only feeder I've had that worked well long term is a metal hanging tube with very small holes for Niger seeds, works perfectly but is only if interest to finches.

Actually have just remembered one thing that I must go back to when I get a new seed feeder - chilli flakes mixed in with the seed - bothers the squirrels, but not the birds.

Just need to find the new seed feeder that I am hopeful enough of to buy and try ...

@DameCelia

I feel your pain. The only feeder I've had that worked well long term is a metal hanging tube with very small holes for Niger seeds, works perfectly but is only if interest to finches.

Gave up on niger seeds, the finches here seem to ignore them and prefer the sunflower hearts. Filled up niger feeders for years and emptied them in to the bin to clean and re-fill, finally learnt my lesson.

I've got one that looks like this www.lovegardenbirds.co.uk/henry-bell-black-heavy-duty-seed-feeder?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp56L1bmK8gIVdIFQBh2e8gMYEAQYBiABEgK4BPD_BwE that I like. Can't find the exact one

@hedgehogger1

I've got one that looks like this www.lovegardenbirds.co.uk/henry-bell-black-heavy-duty-seed-feeder?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp56L1bmK8gIVdIFQBh2e8gMYEAQYBiABEgK4BPD_BwE that I like. Can't find the exact one

Aaaah, that very one is on my shortlist from this morning, hh. Good to have a recommendation for it.

I've got one that is squirrel proof - crows and pigeons don't go near it but it takes peanuts not seeds - could that work?

We have millions of blue tits on it and a very friendly woodpecker who hangs off the bottom. I love mine. Will take a photo and try and post

Not sure where it is from though

@Raaraaboonah

I've got one that is squirrel proof - crows and pigeons don't go near it but it takes peanuts not seeds - could that work?

We have millions of blue tits on it and a very friendly woodpecker who hangs off the bottom. I love mine. Will take a photo and try and post

Thanks Raaraaboonah, but my current peanut feeder is holding up OK - it's the seed one that's died today and needs replacing.

Will bear yours in mind for when the squirrels inevitably kill the current one LOL.

I use the CJ ones with metal fittings, supplemented with their outrageously expensive cages to keep pigeons off, and plastic trays to catch food. They fit well together, so when one finally packs up, you can keep the good bits to use on another.

One of the cages is currently doing a great job keeping the cats from completely destroying the pot of catnip I grew for them.

www.amazon.co.uk/Natures-Market-BF008S-Feeder-Squirrel/dp/B00HLMZ1RM/ref=asc_df_B00HLMZ1RM/?hvlocphy=9045529&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=258767169592&hvpone&hvlocint&hvpos&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-427883086521&hvrand=11752878397206238106
I've got one similar to this and, so far, the squirrels and large birds can't get into it. I wired the lid down as they soon worked out how to open it! It can be dismantled for cleaning.
Pigeons still sit underneath and scrabble about for the debris which is inevitable.
The only way to avoid rats is not to put anything out. I site ours well away from the house.

Campion.
I have the same as yours, the large birds can't get through the cage. I get mine from Wilkinson's.

I have this one for seeds Gardman Heavy Duty Squirrel Proof Seed Bird Feeder www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00GAYUR2G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_P5BTD7RGFAKP7F1Q5YDV?tag=mumsnetforu03-21
Have had it for years and it's still holding up well. It doesn't get wet because the roof bit is wider than the feeding tube so don't tend to get rotten/sprouting seeds in there.
I also have used chilli suet pellets to deter squirrels. All the birds ignored them apart from our family of magpies! I don't mind that though, they are very cute.

www.lovegardenbirds.co.uk/chapelwood-complete-dining-station?gclid=CjwKCAjwxo6IBhBKEiwAXSYBs-CYtEtcbm-qWYmmWLvZ6mQasrdIE3un_fsq2bJksGMQ7SXqv-swUxoC9SEQAvD_BwE I have this one as I was getting fed up of the pigeons eating all the food before the sparrows and blue tits could get it, so far I have been impressed with it, the starlings haven't bothered with it, nor has the squirrels and definitely less mess than before

This brand was recommended to me by a wildlife photographer. It doesn't solve the spilt seed problem though.
rwinvent.co.uk/products/roamwild-squirrel-proof-bird-feeders

She also recommended the Squirrel Buster range and says in her experience both types are robust against squirrels.
www.arkwildlife.co.uk/category/bird-care/wild-and-garden-bird-feeders/squirrel-buster-bird-feeders/

Both may be cheaper elsewhere, I just picked the first links that came up.

I have these www.birdfood.co.uk/defender-6-port-seed-feeder-green?utm_source=google_shopping&gclid=CjwKCAjwxo6IBhBKEiwAXSYBsxDppsL1jR-EoXXnZ57xL7T4NcfQczSVnmaiGMrldrW9lAn8_UnwJxoCKCIQAvD_BwE
which pull apart easily for thorough cleaning, because goodness wet seed smells and goes rotten quickly, but squirrels have chewed around the ports to enlarge the holes

I just went to look for a company but they seemed to have disappeared. Perhaps there feeders were too good and they didnt get repeat sales.

This is the closest I can find... www.nhbs.com/squirrel-buster-feeder?bkfno=251320&ca_id=1495&gclid=CjwKCAjwxo6IBhBKEiwAXSYBsxHWa3PCp4fHJ-wiP8taflrGL9q2Ov4TUsts-Q7-tI91wiwy3eQdExoCvqUQAvD_BwE

Squirrel Buster is what you need OP. Their range is brilliant.

@LemonSwan, my sister saying the same this morning while I was swearing over the broken feeder - they love the repeat sales, so why would they make them indestructible ... ?

@UrgentExit, I've also found that anything with ports is very short-lived - if the connectors don't break, they just fall out/get chewed out. Will look at your others.

I have the bigger versions of these:

www.jollyes.co.uk/pestoff-mealworm-peanut-feeder.html?utm_source=Rakuten&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_content=RedBrain&utm_campaign=15&ranMID=46620&ranEAID=3354356&ranSiteID=pfxNKSnglIM-5n_PNkbh_aIXSl54OHRKNg

Also… when the suet ball one got mobbed, I asked the company about it and they sent me a peanut feeder base for free

I’ve had them 3 years this autumn and they come under a lot of attack but only this year the springs went on the seed feeder

I emailed them, they sent me a new base for free.

Doesn’t solve the seed dropping on the ground, but that’s the birds dropping it, so not much anyone can do, but you could look at ground cages so only little birds can do the cleanup?

That’s what I’m looking at doing.