Best Bird Feeders for Deterring the Smart and Determined Squirrel

I’m sure I am not alone in the battle to keep birdseed in my feeders.
I love the wildlife that comes and goes from our yard. We have Wild Turkey, Fox, our resident Ground Hog, Deer, Coyotes, and Wolves who are always in the distance, Red Tail Hawks, and…. the dreaded Grey Squirrel!

I swear that the Squirrel is smarter than all these beautiful creatures who are coming and going.

There have been seasons where the population of Grey Squirrel has declined in our yard. We can attribute that to Mr. and Mrs. Fox who live in my rock wall! But there are other seasons where we have an abundance of Grey Squirrel, and they organize themselves for an outright assault on my bird feeders! Where did Mr. and Mrs. Fox go? Please come back!!

So, it became a battle of wits! Squirrels are smart little dudes, and I was determined to win!

So, what is one to do? What defensive strategy could I come up with? I couldn’t let a Grey Squirrel insult my intelligence, so I began my strategy! Luckily, I have connections!! Since we sell these products, I have an inside track of what works, what doesn’t, and I have a great situation to test drive them.

I am not a person who believes in exterminating a living thing because they annoy me. So, with that in mind, I began trying different styles of feeders to try to salvage some seed for my feathered friends.

It got to the point where I would put the food out on my way to work and by the time, I got home around 6 p.m., it was almost gone! That dreaded Squirrel! I applaud their smarts and drive, but man did this rip me sideways! I have had multiple different types of feeders to try.

I am happy to say that after 20 years of subject matter, I found the feeders that work like a charm.

When we moved to our current home, I put out the Heritage Farms Absolute II. It was attractive and functional and holds a lot of food. I like those feeders that hold a lot of seed so that I don’t have to fill it so frequently. This feeder has been in my yard all this time and is still in working shape and has held up to all weather conditions. For those of you who live on the East Coast or Mid-West, we all can appreciate the tough winter toll on anything outside for periods of time. But this feeder is truly well-built and an awesome Squirrel deterring feeding station.

The Double Sided Absolute II. The Premier Squirrel-Proof Feeder for the serious bird enthusiast. Double-sided feeding draws more birds to the yard. Huge 2 gallon/ 12 lbs. seed capacity. Hang or pole mount. (hanger & pole included) Adjustable weight settings to select the birds you want to feed. No-waste seed saver baffle. Easy-fill Top-Loc roof. Durable, chew-resistant powder coated steel body. The pole which is included measures 64 total inches with use of included ground socket, it measures 52 inches above ground. It comes in 4, 16-inch sections.

I have truly enjoyed watching the Grey Squirrels try to get at the seed. Do they steal a few morsels here and there? Sure, but they cannot get much more than that. You can adjust the tension on the sides but as soon as that little grey devil tries to get to the seed, the arm shuts down and to my enjoyment, frustrates my little grey friend! This feeder is popular with all our songbirds as well as the Cardinal and Blue Jays. The tension settings on the side will dictate what size bird can enjoy seed from the trough.

Heritage Farms has other models that may suit your needs as well!

The Original Absolute Combo (Pole & Hanger, HF-7533). The Best Squirrel Proof Feeder for Close to Home Bird Viewing! Adjustable weight setting to select birds to feed. Single-sided feeding for placement near windows or walls. Large 2.5 gallon/ 15 lbs. seed capacity. Hang or pole mount. (hanger & pole included) Squirrel resistant construction. Adjustable weight settings. Seed saver baffle reduces wasted seed. East to open and fill with Top-Loc roof. Durable powder coated steel. The height of the pole when assembled is 48 inches. Ground socket is included. The pole has a 1-inch diameter and is made of steel and powder coated Black. Counter-balanced.





Seed 'n More Feeder, HF-7452R. Two side suet baskets feature snap on latch for easy filling. Hefty feeder holds 15lbs (2.5 gallons) of seed. Double sided to draw more birds. Easy to fill and clean. No Waste seed saver baffle. Durable, chew resistant powder coated steel body. Metal perch.
I have also had a lot of success with feeders that have a cage around it. I have tried different brands and the caged tube feeders from Droll Yankees are well made and very effective against the Squirrel.



This is the DY-SDC Domed Cage Feeder. Extended top makes refilling easy. Spring Clamp keeps dome in place and removes for cleaning. Sheltering dome protects against weather. Stainless steel wire is long lasting and chew-proof. Droll Yankees tubular feeder is the best feeder you can buy! UV stabilized.
This product is made in the USA.
Another caged feeder I use is also from Droll Yankees.

This is the DY-B7 Domed Cage Feeder. Extended top- makes refilling easy. Spring Clamp- keeps dome in place and removes for cleaning. Sheltering dome- protects against weather. Stainless steel wire- long lasting and chew-proof. UV stabilized.
This product is made in the USA.

Brome Direct Seed Feeders are a quality made item out of Canada. I have been using this feeder with great success! This is a go to for me and I currently have 4 of these in my yard.



The Squirrel Buster Classic, BD-1015, is a value-priced, high quality truly squirrel-proof bird feeder. It provides both a perching and clinging environment, disassembles easily for cleaning and features seed tube ventilation to keep seed fresher. This 1.4-quart feeder comes with Lifetime Care.



The Squirrel Buster Finch Feeder, BD-1016. The end of Finch feeders demolished by squirrels is here! The Squirrel Buster Finch is a 1.4-quart birdfeeder designed especially for Nyjer seed, the seed of choice for finches. This feeder is truly squirrel proof, has 4 clinging ports and 4 perching ports, and features a patented seed ventilation system that keeps seed fresher. The Finch dismantles easily for cleaning and all components are 100% recyclable. The proven seed saving technology makes the Squirrel Buster Finch the answer to your squirrel problems.

The Squirrel Buster Plus, BD-1024, keeps out squirrels and some nuisance birds by using an adjustable weight mechanism that closes access to the seed. Features seed tube ventilation to keep seed fresher, adjustable perches, and attachable cardinal ring. Disassembles for cleaning, is chew and rust-proof, with a 3-quart seed capacity and Lifetime Care. It was voted BEST squirrel-proof bird feeder by Popular Science.

This is just a sample of those feeders that I have researched and used in my own yard. There are many more selections of squirrel resistant feeders to choose from in all price points. I hope this list helps you in your battle with the beautiful, intelligent Grey Squirrel!

In Nature We Trust,

Dianne