Recommend me a squirrel-proof bird feeder

[newyorkbreakfast]

Has anyone found a good one?
I am not seeing any robins in the garden this year, despite a healthy number in the past, and I hope to lure them back with a feeder.

Lots of flipping cats everywhere, and pigeons, but it’s fairly bushy out there so small birds can hide. I just don’t know where they’ve all gone.

thanks

https://www.gardenwildlifedirect.co.uk/gardman-heavy-duty-squirrel-proof-seed-feeder.html?

Keeps out squirrels, starlings, magpies.

Although robins don't go much for hanging feeders. They prefer ground feeders or tables.

Thank you for the link @ProfessorBinturong

I've got one a bit like this, but without the hanging tray. but to keep the squirrels out I have to put a big rock on top of it!

related question, how do you feed birds without attracting rats? any no spill feeders out there?

Roamwild!

They’re brilliant and are literally the only ones that have kept the squirrels off in my garden. Really good.

(They also prevent bigger birds like pigeons and magpies, provided you hang them in spot where they can’t perch one something else and lean in.)

These didn’t keep squirrels off for me.

There are a few out there that a guard comes down and stops them being able to snaffle them . I'll have a look and post the name .

This one is also good - I have two of them.
https://roamwildproducts.co.uk/products/roamwild-pestoff-bird-feeder-3-0?variant=56971828724096&country=GB&currency=GBP&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=22932390712&utm_content=&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22932417529&gbraid=0AAAABBLoA0YCSEWquqfoOTTWPDltrnzt5&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIibXnt_jgkQMVk5JQBh1XeRz3EAQYASABEgIUfPD_BwE

Following as I need info on this too, I don't mind the squirrels getting a bit but if I put on out they just empty it and leave nothing for the birds.

Just like @BauhausOfEliott I also recommend roamwild. I have 2 and if a heavier bird or squirrel goes on them, the door shuts and they don't get food.
https://roamwildproducts.co.uk/collections/bird-feeding

I also think robins prefer to feed from a table. I have a large stump in the garden, and use an up turned hanging, wire basket which sits on the top. It lets the little birds in but not pigeons or squirrels.

Years ago, step MIL would constantly moan about squirrels getting at her feeders. I found one that if a certain weight is applied, the feeder spun and the squirrel would get flung off. Not enough to cause harm, just to deter it. I think she was aghast at the idea and I never saw it used.

I can't find them now but you can also buy a baffle to go on the bottom of the feeder .

I don’t know about rats but I’ve heard that mice dislike lavender so I will try and grow some round the base of the feeder. No customers so far on my new feeder, bird wise! FIL told me it can take up to 12 months for birds to start using a feeder.

Just popped on to say I bought the apparently ultimate squirrel proof feeder about 10yrs ago (yes, things have moved on!). I was sat, eating my breakfast, looking out of the window, having a bit of a chuckle at a squirrel trying to get into this contraption that the birds had been enjoying the day before.

Squirrel managed to unhook the wired on, fully locked feeder, dragged it along the top of the fence to the end, jumped over the alleyway at the back onto the roof of a bungalow. Carted it up and over the bungalow roof and disappeared.

I still laugh thinking about it!

Where I live now, you're lucky to see a squirrel as there are no greys, just red ones and they're very shy.

Apparently squirrels don’t like chilli but birds can’t taste it.

The squirrels and ground-feeding birds pretty much take care of any food that ends up on the ground, I find. I’ve been feeding birds for 25 years now and have honestly never seen a single sign of rats anywhere near my feeders. I’m sure one must wander by now and again because all gardens will have them passing through sometimes, but I’ve never seen any or found any telltale signs of them.

We get through a frightening amount of birdseed, peanuts and suet balls and have loads of birds. We also have squirrels and the very best feeders we’ve found to stop them from stealing the food are these (other sites stock them, obviously - but this isn’t a bad price)

https://www.lovegardenbirds.co.uk/the-squirrel-buster.html

They're very sturdy but also easy to take apart and clean. The mechanism is on a spring so that anything heavier than the birds (ie a great big chunky squirrel) automatically closes access to the seeds. You can buy peanut versions too. We’ve had ours for literally years and they’re definitely worth the money. We eventually bought a niger seed version too after I caught a squirrel literally sucking out the niger seeds from the minute hole in the conventional feeder - haven't had any problems since and our garden's alive with goldfinches in the summer.

I have had this for many years and still works perfectly. Keeps off the grey squirrels crows magpies and pigeons. https://www.gardenwildlifedirect.co.uk/media/catalog/product/p/e/pest_free_for_web.jpg?optimize=medium&bg-color=255,255,255&fit=bounds&height=563&width=563&canvas=563:563

sorry photo not pasting. Sturdy with ports that shut if larger weight lands.

Second that, we gave several if these and they are great 👍

I also have a couple of Roamwild feeders, they are effective at keeping the squirrels off but a couple of magpies have learnt to cling to the bottoms of the feeders and contort themselves upwards to grab food. Am thinking of buying the separate baffle ring cages to put over the food ports to try to keep the magpies off

I had some of those. The squirrels learned to wrap themselves around the cylinder bit above the feeding ports, and then ( if rather awkwardly) help themselves.

The pigeons watched this, and devised their own successful workaround.

I have one of these. It has pegs to keep it in the ground and the lid opens for access. My robin loves it and it keeps the pigeons and magpies out as well as the squirrels.

I bought two that have suction cups - one sits bang in the middle of my patio sliding door, so impossible for squirrel or rat (but not magpie or pigeon) to get at - and the other is on a first floor (kitchen) window well away from drain pipes etc. Came down this morning to find a bluetit having breakfast right in front of my sink. Very happy!

This is what we have just bought, and the only birds we've seen feeding off it so far are robins. Sparrows are lurking at the bottom eating the bits that the robins are dropping.

What are these like to clean? Are there lots of fiddly bits?