easy diy squirrel-proof bird feeders

Squirrels are undoubtedly cute, fuzzy, and adorable, but they also love to create chaos at your bird feeders. They find sneaky ways to reach a bird feeder to feast on the food you’ve set out for the birds. If you have installed a bird feeder in your outdoor area, you’d already know how damaging hungry squirrels can be.

You can buy many bird feeders from the market that claim to be squirrel-proof. However, sometimes building something yourself is the best solution.

While it’s hard to completely stop squirrels from raiding your bird feeder, the following method will allow you to make sure that your feathered friends get what they deserve. Let’s discuss how to build a squirrel-proof bird feeder at home without buying or using any specialized materials and equipment.

Step 1: Gather the Required Gear

Your bird feeder can lure a variety of bird species, and all you need is to gather the gear listed below to make your own squirrel-proof bird feeder.

Transparent 2-liter soda bottle – 1 piece
Galvanized-steel wire (16-gauge) – 15 to 25 feet
2-inch screw eyes (No. 6) – 2 pieces
2-inch eye bolt with 2 nuts – 1 piece
½-inch PVC pipe – 10 feet cut to 20 pieces (half foot each)
Concave metal strips – 3 to 4 pieces
1 sharp paper cutter or utility knife
A drill

This equipment will allow you to make a DIY bird feeder that’ll keep the squirrels away as your favorite birds enjoy their food.

Step 2: Prepare the Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder

First, you’ll need to cut the bottle 2 inches above the bottom using the paper cutter to make seed ports. Make three or four small triangles half an inch long on each side. Then you’ll need to make a horizontal slit with half an inch size just 1 inch below each seed port.

Now, you’ll need metal strips that you can make from any tin can by using tin snips. Fit the metal strips in all horizontal slits with the concave side up. You can also use glue or duct tape to secure the metal stripes in place. These metal slides will allow small birds to sit and eat food comfortably.

Use the drill machine to make a few small holes in the bottom of the soda bottle for drainage purposes. Make another hole through the soda bottle cap and use 2 nuts to attach the eyebolt properly.

Step 3: Hang Up the Bird Feeder

Once you have prepared everything discussed above, the next step is to hang up the bird feeder. You’ll need to use screw eyes and twist them into two trees 15 feet apart, and it must also be at least 10 feet from the ground.

Now, thread the metal wire through one screw eye and add 20 PVC pipe pieces to the wire. Secure the metal wire by attaching it to the other screw eye. Use the remaining wire and attach one end to the eyebolt that you added to the cap of the soda bottle.

Use the other end of the wire attached to the bottle and secure it to the horizontal wire with PVC pipes. Ensure that there are 10 PVC pipe pieces on each side of the point where you attach the bottle.

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Step 4: Add Seeds to the Bottle

Use a funnel to add seeds to the bottle and screw it to the bottle cap hanging to the horizontal wire. Adding PVC pipes to the wire will ensure that no squirrel reaches the bird feeder. The pipes will roll as soon as a squirrel takes a step on them.

Step 5: Begin Your Bird-Watch

This bird feeder will keep you busy watching birds, and the birds will remain busy eating. The squirrels will remain on trees, or they’ll spin off the PVC pipes. The bottle will also be high enough to keep squirrels from jumping and reaching it.

Related post: Capture moments with your feathered visitors. Check out these bird feeders with cameras!

Other Options

You can add safflowers seeds and spices to the bird feeders. Don’t worry; birds do not feel the heat of spice, but squirrels, just like any other rodent, have taste buds. Safflower seeds also have a bitter taste, and research shows that squirrels tend to avoid that.

There are also many squirrel-proof bird feeders available in the market, and you can buy them if you don’t have enough time to make your own feeder. Some of the great options include the following:

Now that you’ve made your bird feeder squirrel-proof, it’s time to go above and beyond and prepare your winged visitors some tasty bird suet. Try this summer-perfect bird suet recipe you can do at home.