Ibis Proof Feeder. Is there one I can build or buy? (1 Viewer)

[GazzaS]

Hi everyone,
I love feeding birds, but Ibis just eat too much, too quickly. Is there a feeder that is fine for Magpies and other birds that a Ibis can't stand on?

Thanks for your thoughts!

Gaz

 

[KC Foggin]

Hi there Gaz and a warm welcome to you .
We're glad you found us and please join in wherever you like

Try doing a google search for a feeder called "squirrel buster feeder" It's a bit expensive over here anyway but when a bird heavier than say a starling tries to perch on one of the perches the port closes down so that should certainly work with the Ibis.

 

[Kits]

Welcome to Birdforum. I hope you enjoy your visits.

 

[GazzaS]

Hi there Gaz and a warm welcome to you .
We're glad you found us and please join in wherever you like

Try doing a google search for a feeder called "squirrel buster feeder" It's a bit expensive over here anyway but when a bird heavier than say a starling tries to perch on one of the perches the port closes down so that should certainly work with the Ibis.

Hi, and thank you for the recommendation. Looks like a great invention, though my primary customers (Australian Magpies) are as large as a fox squirrel. The Ibis, by contrast is like an NFL football with a long neck and stalk-like legs. It has a long fine bill that is probably half a foot long and can suck up food as fast as a vacuum cleaner.

 

[delia todd]

Hi Gaz and a warm welcome from me too.

I'm rather struggling to work out what sort of feeders an Ibis could land on? LOL I've only seen them feeding on the ground; though I know they're inclined to raid the dustbins too. Is it a table-type feeder you're considering?

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I hope to hear about all the birds you see when out and about.

 

[etudiant]

Hi GazzaS,

Welcome to BF!
You pose an interesting problem. I'd think an Ibis can stand by a feeder and just empty it, no need to perch on the item.
The only way to beat it would be to raise the feeder enough so it cannot just vacuum the food.
After that, you reach for makeshifts such as wide wire netting that keeps big birds out.
Imho, there is no really good selective feeder currently offered.
Probably a business opportunity for a really smart bird enthusiast.

 

[GazzaS]

Hi GazzaS,

Welcome to BF!
You pose an interesting problem. I'd think an Ibis can stand by a feeder and just empty it, no need to perch on the item.
The only way to beat it would be to raise the feeder enough so it cannot just vacuum the food.
After that, you reach for makeshifts such as wide wire netting that keeps big birds out.
Imho, there is no really good selective feeder currently offered.
Probably a business opportunity for a really smart bird enthusiast.

Hi Gaz and a warm welcome from me too.

I'm rather struggling to work out what sort of feeders an Ibis could land on? LOL I've only seen them feeding on the ground; though I know they're inclined to raid the dustbins too. Is it a table-type feeder you're considering?

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I hope to hear about all the birds you see when out and about.

Thank you, both. I will explain what I have done and why it went wrong.

I started feeding my friends on the ground. But then the Ibis came and sucked up everything in seconds. Like huge horrible vacuums. So, I bought some mesh and made small mesh baskets hanging from trees about 2M...off the ground. I made them small and unobtrusive so nobody would vandalize them as they are close to the footpath on bottle-brush trees. It even took the crows and magpies a few days to figure it out.

But to my horror... the Ibis figured it out, flew into the trees and sucked down all of the food. I had thought them ground-feeders only. And now that they know where the food is... they are telling their mates.

So now... I need a new plan.

 

[delia todd]

🤣

Birds is clever!!!

gone away to think on that one!

 

[etudiant]

Makeshift fix is a wire mesh surround standing at least 4" off the feeder, so the Ibis can't just poke his/her beak in and hoover up the snacks.
Alternatively, find cheap food that you can leave on the ground for the Ibises, so they leave the feeders alone for the other birds.
Somehow, I'd thought Ibises were mostly meat eaters, slugs, snails, frogs and the like, so perhaps they would like hot dogs, suitably sliced.
Not sure the budget would allow that though.

 

[GazzaS]

Makeshift fix is a wire mesh surround standing at least 4" off the feeder, so the Ibis can't just poke his/her beak in and hoover up the snacks.
Alternatively, find cheap food that you can leave on the ground for the Ibises, so they leave the feeders alone for the other birds.
Somehow, I'd thought Ibises were mostly meat eaters, slugs, snails, frogs and the like, so perhaps they would like hot dogs, suitably sliced.
Not sure the budget would allow that though.

That is an interesting idea. Ibis will eating anything with protein. And feeding them... just brings more of them. What started with one has already expanded to five. They are just too big and eat too much to feed. This morning I watched one eat an entire coffee cup full of feed in under two minute. Spring isn't far off. So I may just stop feeding once insect activity increases again.

 

[etudiant]

Guess they are fattening up with your help to be ready to raise families. I'm sure they will remember your kindness as well....
It does seem a high class problem though, us New Yorkers only get to see Ibises at our wildlife refuges, perhaps we should be grateful?

 

[KC Foggin]

Try doing a google search for a feeder called "squirrel buster feeder" It's a bit expensive over here anyway but when a bird heavier than say a starling tries to perch on one of the perches the port closes down so that should certainly work with the Ibis.

Even if an ibis can reach an opening the minute its bill lands on the portal patch the portal will still shut down.