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.

You definitely need a squirrel buster feeder. The squirrel proofing mechanism also works to keep bigger birds like magpies off it.

www.arkwildlife.co.uk/category/bird-care/wild-and-garden-bird-feeders/squirrel-buster-bird-feeders/

I’d either go for the squirrel buster feeder or the squirrel buster classic seed feeder. They’re amazing- we get loads more birds with them compared to previous feeders. I was sceptical at first about whether they’d be worth the money, but they absolutely are.

Their peanut feeder is good for peanuts. It can be used for suet pellets but it doesn’t keep them dry.

I had to retire my Squirrel Buster because starlings would empty it in a day.

I'd try the CJ Wildbird feeders in Guardian cages. Squirrels, starlings and anything can't get into them. They are pretty good at keeping feed dry, though v heavy rain will get into any feeder. They take apart well (you need a screwdriver) for cleaning and go back together well.

I'm feeding a lot of small birds and have moved over to these entirely as I get so many starlings (if I use feeders they can access) that it's not really fair on the neighbours!

www.birdfood.co.uk/bird-feeders/squirrel-resistant-feeders

They do them for lots of different food types. I have them for seed, nuts, sunflower hearts, mealworms and fat balls.

@Ruddyknackered

I'd try the CJ Wildbird feeders in Guardian cages. Squirrels, starlings and anything can't get into them. They are pretty good at keeping feed dry, though v heavy rain will get into any feeder. They take apart well (you need a screwdriver) for cleaning and go back together well.

I'm feeding a lot of small birds and have moved over to these entirely as I get so many starlings (if I use feeders they can access) that it's not really fair on the neighbours!

Guardian Cages you say? Squirrels, starlings and anything can't get into them you say? Round these parts they'd beg to differ

Lol @UrgentExit’s squirrel.

Have a couple of recommendations to trial. I expect I’ll end up working my way through them all … 🤣

@thecapitalsunited

I had to retire my Squirrel Buster because starlings would empty it in a day.

You can adjust the tension on them to make them close more readily (if you fancy bringing it out of retirement ).

I have one of these (link nicked from up thread!)
rwinvent.co.uk/products/roamwild-squirrel-proof-bird-feeders

It works a treat, keeps squirrels and bigger birds off and not too messy. Had it a few years now too so it’s obviously quite robust. We have a lot of visiting parakeets and they’ve done their best to dismantle it but it’s still working !!!

It is quite fiddly to clean but that’s the compromise I suppose...

@BridgeOfLies It was fully adjusted but the sneaky buggers had worked out that if only one or two of them sat on it then it didn’t close. Then they would merrily fling the seed on the ground to their pals. Also the little air vent holes were buggers for blocking up so I threw it in the bin in a fit of spite.

Watching with interest

We had one like this. It worked like a charm.



Sorry picture didn't work. Like this one.

I have one of these:

www.finchesfriend.com

And it's excellent. The pigeons can't get at the seed at all, and all the seed stays completely dry. The tits and finches love it.

I have seen an occasional young starling have a go, though, and the squirrel hasn't tried yet, so can't comment on that, but it is very solid and robust.

@RockaLock

I have one of these:

www.finchesfriend.com

And it's excellent. The pigeons can't get at the seed at all, and all the seed stays completely dry. The tits and finches love it.

I have seen an occasional young starling have a go, though, and the squirrel hasn't tried yet, so can't comment on that, but it is very solid and robust.

Oooh now, this is interesting - this will be my next try if/when current new ones fail me.

Do starlings cling to the wire frame ? I would have thought they hold on a different way from small finches etc. So you should be able to adapt the feeder so only small birds can reach it. Use chicken wire or something.
Starlings don't fee off ours but we are in the countryside so maybe there are better options for them.

OP, re: the finches friend feeder - I've only had it about a month, but so far I am pleased with it.

I think the idea is that as the seed chamber stays dry, you barely ever have to clean that bit out. The bottom bit (where the seed gets dispensed and the birds perch) detaches, and you just take it off & wash it. And they give you 2 of those, so you can just swap a clean one on while you wash the other one. I also like that you can put 2 different seeds/feeds in it.

Cons:

• it did take the birds a few days to realise where they need to perch - they kept on sitting on the bit above the perching bit. On the plus side, the pigeons land there, spend a bit of time looking in forlornly at the seed trying to work out how to get to it, and then give up.

• if you're hanging it on a feeding pole, you'll probably need to buy a small "s" hook to be able to hang it - I got one for £1 from my local hardware shop, so they're not expensive, it was just annoying not to be able to use the feeder straight away!

• it is much bigger than I thought, and heavy (not necessarily a con, it was just a bit of a surprise that it was quite so big).

If anyone has a starling/pigeon proof suet feeder, though, please let me know! I did try this one:

https://www.livingwithbirds.com/feeders/suet-ball-cake-feeders/starling-resistant-suet-feeder

But it's pretty useless - our mob of starling babies seem to have worked out how to knock the cage off the bottom, so everything just falls out (much to the delight of the pigeons) and gets gobbled up straight away

We have a flutter butter. The wooden ones are not great but the plastic ones are fab. Tits and sparrow like the peanut butter, blackbirds like the fruity ones.

Pigeons cannot get to it, they just cannot land! Squirrels show zero interest.

@NotMaryWhitehouse

We have a flutter butter. The wooden ones are not great but the plastic ones are fab. Tits and sparrow like the peanut butter, blackbirds like the fruity ones.

Pigeons cannot get to it, they just cannot land! Squirrels show zero interest.

We HAD a flutter butter feeder. It was taken wholesale by the squirrels and we haven't seen it since. Still have the refills for it but nothing to put them in!

@DaxtheDestroyer oh my god, I'm sorry but 😂😂😂😂😂

I wonder what they did with it.......... like little wombles.......

They have form! We live on a little lane and a couple of years back someone walking past found a bird feeder halfway up the lane and knocked on our door to see if it was ours. I live in hope the flutter butter will be found one day!

I have some caged flutter butter type feeders. Before I had the caged ones, starlings and magpies would see a jar off in a day, very expensive game LOL.

@eleoura
I have an upturned laundry basket...

So that's where it's gone,
I've been wandering around clutching a flannel to my gubbins whilst looking for my clean underpants...