Squirrel competiton

Hi experienced birders,
We just started to seriously become interested in birds and have attracted blue jays,chickadees, cardinals, mourning doves and others I cannot identify our two feeders. But the squirrels are such a nusiance, always stealing food and screeching. I have never found a squirrel proof feeder that worked. I have read recently about a type of seed that attracts birds but repells squirrels because it has red pepper mixed with it.Can more exprienced birders advise on this?

Wanted to share one of our first photos, and ask is this an oriole?

I understand the Safflower seed is supposed to ward off squirrels.

How close to the overhead limbs are your feeders? When I hung mine too close the squirrels could reach them. Then I hung then with a longer tether and the longer stings, so far, have solved my problem.

I still see squirrels on the ground scratching up spillage from the overhead feeders, but that doesn't bother me.

Hack

No, your pic is of an American Goldfinch. An oriole is reddish-orange, with some black on the wing feathers.

In my photo the male is in the left and the female is on the right.

This message was edited Aug 9, 2009 12:42 PM

Bird seed with chili pepper in can keep squirrels off, but not always - just like some people, some squirrels also get to enjoy a good hot curry ;-)

Resin

Can I just used my own dried chillies? Don't want to hurt my feathered friends

Yes, though you need to mix it in fairly thoroughly. The stronger they are the better; they are only fiery to mammals, not to birds. Of course as usual when handling chillies, take care not to get any chilli dust in your eyes.

Resin

I trap my squirrels and release them far, far away......

We don't have problems with squirrels at all. All our feeders are on poles at least 10 feet from a tree branch and have baffles on the bottom. It's pretty funny to see them try to get around the baffle but they can't.

I have 2 feeds that I hang from tree branches and put mostly safflower in them so the squirrels leave them alone as well.

If you feed suet that you hang on a tree for woodpeckers then get the hot pepper suet as they won't eat that either.

Good luck!