Birds, Mammals and Wildlife Gardening – Squirrel Perils

Grey squirrels can be a problem in gardens and keeping them out of the garden can seem impossible to say the least. If you want birds, you may have to accept that you get squirrels too, but there are some things you can at least try, to preserve you nest boxes, food and berries from the grey marauders!

Cones and baffles fixed on to the string of a hanging feeder can foil squirrels for a while at least – but you need to change them quite often as squirrels are adept at finding ways around obstacles. Try plastic coke bottles, large domes and disks, the CDs that arrive as junk mail and so on. Knot or tie them onto the string of the feeder to act as barriers.
As for cats, a downward opening cone or a biscuit tin with a hole in it, fixed to the pole below the bird table will help to prevent squirrels climbing up. Sadly Vaseline or other greases are highly appealing to hungry squirrel who may actually be attracted to anything you smear on the pole to deter cats!
There are several feeder with spring-loaded covers available online or through mail order. The weight of the squirrel will lower the cover, preventing it access to the food – bear in mind that this can also mean larger birds can’t use that feeder.
It is claimed that strong chilli powder or pepper sauce (eg Tabasco) can be dusted onto bird food. Birds are apparently not bothered by the chilli, but squirrels hate the burning sensation and will leave the food alone. Sadly, I can’t find any real research data to prove this is true, but if may be worth a try!

Birds, mammals and wildlife gardening squirrel photograph by Bob MacInnes, used under a creative commons attribution licence

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