Creatures of habit: Guard your feeders

Raccoons, squirrels, and mice are some of the most common critters that put a damper on your bird-feeding experience. While these critters will always try to snag a seed, you may notice them in the fall more frequently. Here’s what to know about these pesky critters and how to naturally deter them from the food meant for your backyard birds.

Squirrels: Gymnasts at heart

Squirrels are pro gymnasts. They’re skilled climbers and jumpers. Once they find a spot with food, they like to hang around. While they’re able to leap 10 feet across from thing to thing, they can only jump up about 3 feet off the ground. Set your feeders away from clothing lines, roofs, fences, and other jumping grounds to make it harder for them to reach your feeders.

Raccoons: Thieves of the night

Raccoons, on the other hand, take a different approach than squirrels. These fellas don’t just like to take food that’s not theirs— they take all of their frustration out on your feeder. You might find that they pulled down your feeder or knocked over your whole setup. One way to keep raccoons away from your feeders is to take them inside at night. Since raccoons are creatures of the night, take your feeders inside at the end of the day and put them in a secure spot. Once they realize there’s no food, they’ll be less likely to keep coming back.

Mice: The unwanted cleanup crew

While mice can’t ransack your feeders, they’re drawn to yards that have them. When your backyard birds spill seed around and beneath your feeder, mice take that as an invitation to eat their leftovers. Make sure to routinely pick up the seeds that have fallen on the ground. You can use a rake or broom to clean up what the birds left behind.

Helpful reminders

As you're taking steps to guard your yard, it may be a good time to go ahead and do the same to your house. Once critters recognize your yard as a food source, they may be interested to see if there’s more food inside your home. Keep your feeders at a distance from your home so critters are less likely to venture over. Store extra seed in a sealed and secure container that they can’t get to with their grubby paws. Lastly, it’s a good idea to make sure there are no easy entry points for these critters outside of your home. Seal any holes or cracks that they might be able to sneak their way through.

Want to know more fall birding tips & tricks? Download our fall birding checklist to learn more.