Squirrel Proof Bird Feeders to the Rescue

by admin on June 8, 2010

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squirrel-eating-bird-feeder

Bird feeders allow us to help nature in keeping birds well nourished. It provides a selection of tastes and feeding venues, and implies less competition for the many flocks and species of birds in and around your area.

However, as birds gather on one feeder, it also carries the problem of contracting and spreading disease. That is why it must be kept clean. Cats and other animals are attracted to bird feeders, too. Mainly, squirrels are the biggest menace when it comes to bird feeders. It caused people who feed birds to resort to the squirrel proof bird feeder.

Cats scare the birds away. And cats, being their playful self, won’t hesitate to prey on those adorable yet helpless birds. And let me tell you, encounters such as these don’t look to good for the birds. A good workaround for this is by properly placing the bird feeder in an area or a position that is out of reach for our feline friends.

fat-squirrel

Squirrels also love bird feeders. They just ravage these feeder sites for birds, help themselves to the contents since they just love the same seeds, and often carry it away to their hoard leaving bits and pieces left for the birds. A quick fix is again to place the bird feeder in a position that is unreachable by the squirrels. But more often than not, this is simply a temporary solution as squirrels almost always find their way to the feeders.

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Luckily for us, someone invented what’s called a squirrel proof bird feeder! The squirrel proof bird feeder is one device that keeps the birds safe from those squirrels and often times other creatures as well.

It is manufactured in two major designs. The weight-triggered squirrel proof bird feeder is designed with perches that collapse under a heavier weight than that of a bird’s. This design also has a battery-powered variation that shocks the trespasser lightly or rotates the perches to toss off the intruding animal, safely that is.

There is also the caged squirrel proof bird feeder. This feeder is surrounded by a wire cage which has openings just right for the size of a bird, but too small for a squirrel to reach the seeds inside. Baffle and feeder combinations are also available alternatives. It serves as barriers for squirrels to climb around and jump over it.

The only disadvantage of the squirrel proof bird feeder is that, it is not 100% guaranteed to work all the time at preventing these creatures from getting to those feeds.

If you don’t want to invest on one, another good option is to simply sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes on the tray and seeds. Amazingly, squirrels hate this stuff and are driven away from it! Birds, on the other hand, don’t care much for these and are unaffected by it.

In closing, squirrels have the agility and intelligence to take over the bird feeders you have in your backyard. Having a squirrel proof bird feeder is one excellent strategy to keep them away. Another may be to try the pepper flakes alternative. I personally use a squirrel proof bird feeder as I find it, extremely reliable, and just as clever, even to the most determined squirrel. Happy bird watching!

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Oriole Feeder for Beautiful New World Orioles

by admin on June 11, 2010

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Don’t you just love the sight of those magnificent orioles nesting on the neighbourhood trees? Or better yet, chirping and flapping above your backyard during their visit to the area?

Orioles come to the United States each year for their breeding season. These birds are arboreal. They can survive in open forests and woodlands, but you can attract these black and yellow orange beauties right at your own backyard with an oriole feeder.

Just like the other feeders designed for specific bird species, oriole feeders help you provide nourishment to orioles. But the difference lies in its contents because orioles mainly feed on flower nectars, fruits, and jelly. So, oriole feeders is developed accordingly to their diet. It has a feature of a somewhat large vessel for filling with nectar. Oriole nectar can be made from sugar and water, as a substitute to the flower nectar.

It was also found that orioles like to eat oranges in halves, and switch to grape jelly within their few days of stay in an area. Other designs of the oriole feeder out in the market have a place for these fruits, and a jelly tub for the grape or bird berry jelly. As the season goes further, they transition to an insect-based diet. The jelly tub of the feeder can still be well utilized for insects.

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Orioles breed in territorial pairs. They have a deeply woven cup as their nest hanging like a hammock from a tree branch. They also tend to protect their feeding sites, so placing an oriole feeder is guaranteed to bring those beautiful birds in your yard and cheer up the environment. But you also have to keep it filled with jelly to make them stick around longer, or else the orioles will take off to another place that has more fruitful treats for them!

Be sure to get your feeders before the birds’ earliest possible time of migration which is usually on the 1st of May, because they will surely be tired and hungry upon arrival. You can purchase any oriole feeder of your choice in pet shops, the gardening aisles in your local stores, and home improvement centres. You can also find it on the internet, all for a reasonable price. Having two, three or up to five feeders situated in your backyard would even be a lovelier and more joyful sight.

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Suet Bird Feeders as Useful Alternative Bird’s Food Source All Year Round

by admin on January 16, 2012

Suet bird feeders are ideal to have in any yard or garden because this type of feeder is capable to provide the required nourishment for the birds all throughout the year. Suet, which is basically a small piece of animal fat, is very rich in protein and other minerals. Young birds, in particular, will benefit the most from suet bird feeders.

Small birds having the time of their life on suet bird feeders

Typical suet bird feeders are made out of intertwined wires which can hold suet and suet cakes. A suet cake is a bird seed coated with processed or cooked animal fat. Suet cakes also last longer in the feeder and does not easily spoil under the warm weather.

Some of the typical birds attracted at suet bird feeders include woodpeckers, juncos, goldfinches and chickadees. Other small birds that you may find are cardinals, nuthatches and jays. If there is a lot more bird’s variety on an area, then one can expect more and frequent visits from any of these feathered guests.

Suet in feeders are important, not only during summer but most especially during the cold or winter season. During this time, the number of insects substantially goes down and it is important to know that insects are one of the staple food sources for birds. In addition, blankets of ice can cover any other potential areas where bird food is normally located.

Meanwhile, suet is perfect during very cold weather better than summer as this bird food is known to melt when surrounding temperatures reach about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Beef or mutton fat, which is suet’s basic component, contains a fair amount of calories and this in turn provides a valuable source of food fuel for the birds. Other usual bird seeds such as sunflower seeds, safflower seeds and nuts may be added for variety.

One can purchase suet in block sizes at any commercial pet store center. Some store may offer special mixes which may contain peppers, and are usually used to discourage squirrels and chipmunks from eating suet. One can also try to create suet from suggested recipe mixes to save up on cost.

One can either have feeders that are window bird feeders type or those called as hanging bird feeders. Window bird feeders have suction cups that are used to stick the feeder in any glass window. A hanging bird feeder employs either hooks or pieces of strings to hang it up in fences or in tree branches.

In case that one is shopping for a much better-looking suet bird feeders, there are other stylish designs and sizes to choose from. Some feeders may imitate big flowers or common ornamental fixtures such as pagodas. Prices for such may vary accordingly.

A simple technique may be used by first-time suet feeders’ owner to attract birds. Apply a thin coat of suet over tree branches, or in any place near the feeders. This way, the birds will start to notice that there are fantastic delicacies awaiting them.

Like any feeder, suet bird feeders need to be regularly washed and disinfected. This is done to prevent spreading of bacteria from spoiled suet and fowl’s droppings. Thus, anyone can get pleasure from suet bird feeding all year round.

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