Crows and bird feeder

[Kittykelt]

For the last couple of months I have a been feeding my garden birds with fat balls in a wire bird feeder and have been really enjoying see the variety of small garden birds it attracted. In the last week, every time I fill it up within an hour or so crows have come and managed to knock it down and/or dismantle the feeder and take the food. They are vicious! I really miss seeing the garden birds! What can I do to keep the crows away and just feed the garden birds? Can anyone recommend a crow proof feeder?

Have a look at the guards on CJ Birdfoods site. Expensive but tough.

Will the squirrel proof ones do the job?

Thanks, I've ordered a squirrel proof one that also gets good reviews for thwarting jackdaws and pigeons so hopefully that'll do the trick! The crows just seem very clever and have managed to beat everything I've tried so far so fingers crossed!

You can train corvids to bring you coins in exchange for food. You could beat inflation if you can get enough crows

hackaday.com/2013/12/29/the-crowbox-turns-crows-into-a-cash-machine/

I put a mix of sunflower seeds and chopped peanuts out for the birds, and I have loads of small ones popping in because of the feeders - they have only a small perch, the bigger birds can’t land on them. I used to put suet out but had the same issue - the fat isn’t great for them in summer, and the garden bullies will trash feeders for it. Corvids aren’t as interested in small seeds 😉

I got squirrel proof feeders earlier this year to detract the crows. They can't get their beaks into them. But they are very clever birds and will try to figure out how to get into them. I wired the feeders on to the pole, so they couldn't try to get then onto the ground and break them open.

It worked and the crows gave up after a few days. The starlings however can still get the food and will strip it bare.