How To Effectively Keep Pests Out Of Your Bird Feeders

Pests can be pretty irritating at first.
And you’ll think… 
Maybe they’ll leave the feeder alone eventually.
But they never do. Any pest that finds a sustainable food source would rely on it greatly. And when this happens, they won’t only be “irritating”.
Property damage, infectious diseases, contamination, and disturbance are just “some” of the things they can offer. And I believe you’d love to decline.
Here are a few ideas to effectively keep your feeders pest-free.

Pest Classification

Bees And Wasps

If birds love sugary nectar, then surely do bees and wasps. 
Normally, both of these species share flower nectar to live. But when it comes to a one or few bird feeders, hundreds of bees swarming around is surely an issue. 
Birds wouldn’t even think twice in getting as far as they could from this infested feeder, and I’m sure you wouldn’t either. 

Ants

Any ant species would go crazy over a sugar source. After they inform their colony about it, you’ll soon find a swarm of them invading your feeder. 
This won’t really harm the birds, but they’ll surely contaminate the feeder. Not to mention seeing their swarm will give you chills!
You can check out this article if your only goal is to keep ants out of hummingbird feeders.

Rodents

Rodents would definitely eat any food they find.
 If they smell any food source, they’d do anything to find it, no matter how hard it is to reach. 
And once they begin to nibble on something, it won’t be clean at all, so you can expect a lot of seeds to spill and attract other pests. 
What’s scarier about this is that rodents reproduce at a fast pace. This means that if you don’t take action, they’ll soon reside on your property and damage it.

Rats And Mice

Not only can they wipe out your supply but also carry infectious diseases and leave their droppings around. This is both risky for the wild birds and disgusting. 

Raccoons And Opossums

Aside from being amazing climbers, they also have such dexterous hands that are good enough to destroy your feeders by chewing and pulling them apart. 

Squirrels

Squirrels are adorable.
And feeding them isn’t such a reach… if it was just some “occasional snack”, but squirrels eat EVERYTHING.
You’ll find them eating all the food while chewing and damaging the feeder at the same time. 
 

Cleanliness

Your feeders require monthly cleaning and disinfecting. The more often you clean them, the better, as long as you can guarantee no traces or residues. 
Although rodents are exceptional climbers, they prefer to ground-feed like most pests and don’t actually climb feeders immediately. What pests commonly do is wait for spilled food on the ground to snack on. 
Immediately pick up and clean fallen food ASAP. You can also use a broom to sweep them up. 

Seed Catcher/Tray

Let’s admit it, not all of us have the time to check up our feeders and keep it clean. 
A seed catcher is a tray you install onto the pole of the feeder. Some feeders already come with mounted trays, some with detachable ones, there are also seed trays sold individually. 
These catch and collect the seeds and food that the birds drop for you. All you need to do is empty it at the end of the day. 

No-Waste Bird Food

Now that you have a tray to collect all the spills for you, it’s not really a good idea to just throw the food it gathered away.
No-waste bird foods exist so that you can recycle and save food for their next feeding.  
These seed mixes may be on the costly side, however, cheap seed mixes often contain low-quality seeds that birds intentionally throw away. With no-waste bird food, you can guarantee reduced amounts of waste and a happier mealtime. 
 

Isolation

If we humans feel more comfortable when we have refuge near us, then so do pests. They wouldn’t think twice in approaching your bird feeder if it’s surrounded by objects to sneak and hide in.
These objects are commonly overgrown terrain. It is a good idea to ensure your feeder is located in a clear and open area far enough (at least 10 feet) from both terrain and your home. 

Baffles

Feeder Isolation is one way to prevent pests from visiting your feeder. But since rodents can effortlessly climb such poles, baffles seal the plan.
These are upside-down bowl-like feeder accessories that can be attached below a feeder (on its pole). They are made of a rust-free slippery material and can either be purchased in nearby hardware or made at home.
This, of course, doesn’t work on flying pests, but can be a great defense against many animals.

Feeder Guards

Now, for tiny flying pests, feeder guards have your back.
These are guards you can fit over the feeding holes to limit the pests’ access without hindering birds. It is best to stay away from yellow-colored guards as they tend to attract bees, red or while guards are ideal. 
You should also keep in mind that the feeder should not be leaking, dripping, or spilling, not even one tiny bit. There’s a huge chance that pests won’t even notice the feeder if they can’t smell or see food on the ground.
Ant moats are basically baffles for ants.
They’re a barrier that holds water and can be attached or hung over a feeder, some feeders already have these built-in too.

Weight Sensitive Perches

If not a baffle, maybe you can try weight sensitive perches.
These are somehow twice as effective as they work on both rodents and flying pests as long as they are of significant weight.
They’re literally spring-loaded perches that lower and closes the feeder hole collapsing once it carries a specific weight. They have adjustable weight settings for numerous pest species. 
 

Repair

Feeders don’t only tend to one or two pet birds but numerous wild birds each month, which makes it prone to damage. Not to mention the strong wind, ever-changing weather, and the strong will of pests to get their hands on the food supply. 
Unfortunately, feeders always break in ways that make it easier for pests to access. 
Checking your feeders for tiny dents every two-three weeks can help avoid it from getting more damaged than it already is, and to keep your local birds happy. 
You should also keep in mind that the feeder should not be leaking, dripping, or spilling, not even one tiny bit. There’s a huge chance that pests won’t even notice the feeder if they can’t smell or see food on the ground.