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House Sparrow proof feeder.. or at leas less attractive (1 Viewer)

crazyfingers

crazyfingers

Well-known member
I'm thinking that a perchless nyjer feeder with just lots of small holes and no platform at the bottom to sit on would be a lot less attractive to house sparrows and would still be attractive to goldfinches and chickadees. I think that house sparrows have a much harder time hanging onto something like that to feed while the goldfinches are much better at it and the chickadees can do anything every which way.

Am I thinking correctly?

I have become discouraged with the nyjer feeder I recently got because it has 4 perches and the sparrows dominate that too.
 
I think your best bet would be one of the "upside down" niger feeders. These have perches above the feeding ports which can only be reached by the birds hanging head down from the perch. Goldfinches and siskins can manage this but House Sparrows, House Finches etc cannot. I've had a feeder of this type for years and it's worked like a charm.
 
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The halo deterrents depicted below do have the reputation of being fairly effective. They are known to deter native species also, so caution should be exercised. Never noticed any "nyjer feeders regulars" being put off by the halo, including Amer. Goldfinch, House Finch, Indigo Buntings, occasionally chickadees, titmice, Downy woodpecker(s). In winter, Dark-eyed Juncos also get up on the feeder. White-crown and White-throated sparrows, and Mourning doves taking nyjer readily, but favoring groundbased table feeder, or residual off the ground which I try to avoid.

Have used a halo in the past, to the point of house sparrows not being seen. Removed the halo at that point, and if the house sparrows come back, then the halo goes up, again. There are quite a few opponents to using them. The greatest opposition is the reluctance of those opponents to contribute funds towards feeding an non endemic species.

Feeder Halos
 
Both of those ideas are very interesting. I could try both.

But with the halo I'd want to makeshift it on my existing squirrel proof feeder. The only good location where we can enjoy the feeder is by the window nested in the rhododendron bushes and the squirrels would get at and destroy a feeder like the one in the link. It sure would be nice to reduce the house sparrows at the feeder.
 
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Never had a problem with either gray or southern flying squirrels here, being attracted to nyjer. Residual that falls on the ground isn't bothered by the grays. It is important to have cover close by the feeder, for birds to utilize in an 'emergency'.
 
I would settle for anything on my Niger feeder at the moment. Had some goldies when first installed about a year ago but last few months - nothing.

Even the sparrows don't bother.
 
Bird_Bill said:
Never had a problem with either gray or southern flying squirrels here, being attracted to nyjer. Residual that falls on the ground isn't bothered by the grays. It is important to have cover close by the feeder, for birds to utilize in an 'emergency'.
Click to expand...

It's the regular bird seed that the squirrels go for. It's the green feeder that I would modify with a makeshift halo.

Here is my measly setup. It's the only window where we can enjoy seeing the feeder but it means that it needs to be squirrel-proof.
 

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Our feeders are very similar, and you seeming to have far more ground cover. Tornado comes through here, at what works out to odd years and rearranges all the native furnishings. Might consider a tubular baffle on your mast, that prevents squirrels and the like from ground access. 6 to 8 inch metal flue pipe sleeved over your mast, and blocked effectively will keep the squirrels off. Below is mine, pre-tornadic, have it hung from a piece of conduit with a goose neck bent into it, now. Metal fittings have held up well, but the plastic has oxidized from cleaning to where it almost opaque now.

Have both oak and walnut trees that do contribute to squirrels diet,
and that could be factor in less interference on the nyjer feeder here.
Below is one type of baffle that can be effective.
Squirrel baffle

typical summer crew, hard at it
 

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Bird_Bill said:
Our feeders are very similar, and you seeming to have far more ground cover. Tornado comes through here, at what works out to odd years and rearranges all the native furnishings. Might consider a tubular baffle on your mast, that prevents squirrels and the like from ground access. 6 to 8 inch metal flue pipe sleeved over your mast, and blocked effectively will keep the squirrels off. Below is mine, pre-tornadic, have it hung from a piece of conduit with a goose neck bent into it, now. Metal fittings have held up well, but the plastic has oxidized from cleaning to where it almost opaque now.

Have both oak and walnut trees that do contribute to squirrels diet,
and that could be factor in less interference on the nyjer feeder here.
Below is one type of baffle that can be effective.
Squirrel baffle

typical summer crew, hard at it
Click to expand...

We don't get tornadoes. Just snow that smooches my plants down and makes it hard for me to go in and refill.

Side note is that green freeder has been been 100% successful with the squirrels. If they get on the perch is just levers down and can't get anything. Frustrates them such that I have not seen a squirrel on it for a long time. They content themselves with what the birds throw to the ground.

My one failure with the green one was all my fault. I didn't properly latch the closure where it opens to fill. A red squirrel discovered the unlatched back and got inside. It was a bit hilarious to see him looking out the window from inside. And it latched when he went in so he was stuck for a while. When I saw and went to open it that red squirrel rocketed out of the feeder and the kids laughed and laughed.
 
Have looked at the trap door feeders. Hanging sunflower seed feeder being used currently, the squirrels will get up on, or climb down to, in order to access. Once the place here in the suburbs is sold, will be relocating to a far more rural property. Red squirrels will be issue there, no doubt. Tried a plastic hood baffle once in the past, gray squirrels chewed a hole through it, and continued on unimpeded.

Was gifted a rotary, battery driven affair some years back. It worked for several generations of squirrels. But then, they seemed to have evolved the trait of being able to hang on for the ride until batteries were gone. Rotary feeder was "plan L" in anti squirrel measures. Pretty much been through alphabet trying to win against those rascals outside of the nyjer and nectar feeders.
 
grobble said:
I would settle for anything on my Niger feeder at the moment. Had some goldies when first installed about a year ago but last few months - nothing.

Even the sparrows don't bother.
Click to expand...

Niger is pretty susceptible to mold and birds then stay away.
Maybe empty your feeder, bleach wash it and try again with fresh seed.
Good luck!
 
Bird_Bill said:
Have looked at the trap door feeders. Hanging sunflower seed feeder being used currently, the squirrels will get up on, or climb down to, in order to access. Once the place here in the suburbs is sold, will be relocating to a far more rural property. Red squirrels will be issue there, no doubt. Tried a plastic hood baffle once in the past, gray squirrels chewed a hole through it, and continued on unimpeded.

Was gifted a rotary, battery driven affair some years back. It worked for several generations of squirrels. But then, they seemed to have evolved the trait of being able to hang on for the ride until batteries were gone. Rotary feeder was "plan L" in anti squirrel measures. Pretty much been through alphabet trying to win against those rascals outside of the nyjer and nectar feeders.
Click to expand...

There are feeders with big tin baffles doubling as the roof. They should keep even your gray squirrels at a distance.
Alternatively, does your site allow for a properly baffled pole away from squirrel launch pads? That does work and you can then set up a corn cob feeder as a consolation prize for your squirrels.
 
Bird_Bill said:
The halo deterrents depicted below do have the reputation of being fairly effective. They are known to deter native species also, so caution should be exercised. Never noticed any "nyjer feeders regulars" being put off by the halo, including Amer. Goldfinch, House Finch, Indigo Buntings, occasionally chickadees, titmice, Downy woodpecker(s). In winter, Dark-eyed Juncos also get up on the feeder. White-crown and White-throated sparrows, and Mourning doves taking nyjer readily, but favoring groundbased table feeder, or residual off the ground which I try to avoid.

Have used a halo in the past, to the point of house sparrows not being seen. Removed the halo at that point, and if the house sparrows come back, then the halo goes up, again. There are quite a few opponents to using them. The greatest opposition is the reluctance of those opponents to contribute funds towards feeding an non endemic species.

Feeder Halos
Click to expand...

I made a makeshift halo for my squirrel-proof feeder and so far it appears to be amazingly effective. Several titmouse have been feeding and I had a chickadee, a house finch, a goldfinch and a junko. But the house sparrows are clearly avoiding it. They fly up, flap and hover and then fly off. There are still tons house sparrows on the ground below where so much seed has fallen.

I hope that more of the birds I want will come will come if they don't have to contend with so many aggressive house sparrows how tend to line perch in by 3 or 4 birds and fight.

It may be ugly but it seems to work. Thanks for the suggestion.

P.S. I've added one more dangling wire between the two in the photo because one house sparrow found that hole. But so far only one.
 

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If they are hungry enough, or during breeding season, they'll go in regardless. Also if you have cardinals they won't go pass either.
 
etudiant said:
There are feeders with big tin baffles doubling as the roof. They should keep even your gray squirrels at a distance.
Alternatively, does your site allow for a properly baffled pole away from squirrel launch pads? That does work and you can then set up a corn cob feeder as a consolation prize for your squirrels.
Click to expand...

Metallic baffle(s), corn "pone" bribery were both further down in the alphabetic list of plans. As long as a few ears are available, the squirrels are happy with that it seems. Acorn mast, being preferred over all, normally a good supply, but not this year with apparently recent weather extremes.


jzmtl said:
If they are hungry enough, or during breeding season, they'll go in regardless. Also if you have cardinals they won't go pass either.
Click to expand...

That's contrary to both my own experience, and what's mentioned from the author of the Cornell lab blog linked to above. Eurasian Tree sparrows that are found in the area, dont seem deterred, but at the same time they rarely take sunflower, or the other components of the general mix. ETS's preferring nyjer, or millet off a table, or spilt on the ground. Occasionally taking suet also.
 
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