Bird watching is such a fun and relaxing activity when you are sitting on your back deck or sipping a cup of coffee while watching through a window to your back yard. Depending on what part of the country you live in, you might see BlueJays, Cardinals, Robins, or other birds of different colors and sizes. But if you’re seeing more squirrels than birds, you may need a squirrel baffle.

The most exciting part of the year for bird watchers is when warmer weather has come to the area and more birds start to arrive. In northern states this is in late April, but in southern states, birds come to the area when it is too cold up north. Either way it is exciting to watch them appear.

When it gets close to the time of year you expect to see your favorite birds you probably put out your bird feeders and load them up with their favorite feed. Unfortunately for many this is when the trouble starts.

At the same time your new feathered friends are coming to visit, squirrels begin to forage for food. They nibble on just about anything to see if it is edible and they especially love wild bird feeders for all the different seeds that are in them, not to mention, it’s easy food to get.

But in all honesty you didn’t put the food out there for them, and while it would be one thing if they ate a little and scampered off, it’s quite another when they eat the whole bird feeder full of seeds repeatedly. That’s when birds stop coming, because you have no food for them, and you start to get upset.

Squirrel Baffle to the Rescue

One way to easily put the kibosh on the squirrels eating all your seed is to install a squirrel baffle on your wild bird feeders. These nifty bowl-like items hang, either above and below, your bird feeders. When the squirrels climb up they can’t get around the upside down bowl to reach the feeder. When they try to come down to the feeder (say one that is hanging from a tree) they slip off it from their uneven weight.

Squirrel baffles work great because the birds still get the food, and the squirrels aren’t hurt, chasing birds away, or stealing the food any longer. With a squirrel baffle you can still watch the birds and enjoy their company while the squirrels go about their foraging business.

If you decide you want a few squirrel baffles, look for those that are wide, with enough space in the middle to fit around poles and hanging apparatuses for your feeders. They come in a variety of colors, and it’s a good idea to choose a material that is easy to clean as the birds may leave droppings on them. Enjoy your bird watching!