Squirrel-Proof Your Bird Feeder With An Affordable Dollar Tree Find

While squirrels can be endlessly entertaining to watch thanks to their acrobatics, you may be less amused by if you catch them raiding your bird feeder. Squirrels can make quick work of bird seed, potentially dumping or damaging feeders and leaving nothing left for your feathered friends. There are strategies to combat the clever rodents though, and one of the best tools in your arsenal may be a simple plastic serving bowl from the Dollar Tree.

While a plastic bowl may not seem like an obvious squirrel deterrent, you can use it to make a squirrel baffle. This is a bell shaped contraption you can attach to make it more difficult for squirrels to access your bird feeder. Whether your feeder is mounted on a pole or hanging from a tree, adding in a baffle can help keep squirrels away. While they're widely available for purchase, opting to create a DIY baffle is a fun and easy project that you can make for a fraction of the cost of most options on the market. Another similar strategy to deter squirrels from your bird feeder is to use an old planter to make a baffle.

Creating your own squirrel baffle from a Dollar Tree bowl is as simple as cutting a small hole at the bottom of the bowl. If your bird feeder is on a pole secured in the ground, you'll want to slide the baffle partway down the pole, with the bowl facing down. This should prevent squirrels from climbing up the pole to access the feeder. 

If your bird feeder is hanging by string from a tree, then you'll want to hang the baffle on the same line as the feeder, but above it this time. This should ensure that squirrels can't easily access the feeder by climbing down the string. It may take a few tries and some careful observation of your local squirrels to decide the perfect location on the pole or string for your baffle. Once you're happy with the set up, you can use a metal collar ring to ensure your baffle stays in place. 

You should also make sure that your bird feeder isn't too close to any trees that squirrels can use to jump to it. If necessary, squirrel baffles for trees are also available. This is why you may sometimes see trees wrapped in metal. If you still enjoy watching squirrels, but simply want to ensure they steer clear of your bird feeder, you can also offer them some snacks of their own in a different corner of your yard. Peanuts and dried corn are both great options for this.