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How to keep crows and jackdaws off your bird feeders (but still let them share nicely!).

Lucydot
07/04/2012 22:51
Awoken by cackles  and gleeful shrieks outside the bedroom window, I looked
out early one morning to see a dozen or more crows and jackdaws  swinging on my
bird feeders and 'drinking' the contents .  I spoke later with a neighbour who
had experienced the same problem and because of this she had eventually given up
feeding the birds altogether.  New to birding, and not one to pass up a
challenge, I scoured the internet looking for ideas to prevent them stealing all
the food before their smaller colleagues got a look in.  Squirrel proof feeders,
although successful were expensive - after buying three I decided to look for a
less costly solution.  I found one economical solution sitting on the shelf in a
local agricultural store in the guise of hanging baskets. After buying six round
bottomed baskets and a pack of cable ties, I rushed home to try out the idea.  I
tied two cable ties loosely at the top, spaced wide enough to slip the feeder
handle through.  The weight of the baskets keeps the edges together with no
gaps.  I suspended the feeder and it's cover from a tree and within seconds the
birds were demonstrating their approval.  The roundness of both baskets together
provide a roomy internal space and the wires lots of comfortable perching space
while awaiting one's turn.  An additional use I have found is that if I hang a
small feeder and a single basket onto a tree hook and place it within the hedge,
the sparrows keep their own feed for themselves, away from the beady eyes of
sparrow hawks and other flying predators.
One message that was often repeated in my internet searches was 'crows and
jackdaws etc. have to eat too', a sentiment I thoroughly agree with. We are all
satisfied now as the small birds sift through the mixed seeds looking for
their favourites and toss the rest to the ground for the crows and friends to
feast upon.

Note: baskets of different sizes accommodate most sizes of feeders.
  • 18/08/2014 00:13 in reply to larkandwarbler

    Hello Larkandwarbler,

    If you go into insert & edit you can upload photos. hope this helps.

    J

  • 18/08/2014 21:20 in reply to wren

    Dear Wren

    When I click on edit, there is no option to 'insert' just the box with my 'Quote' in it, but it's in typewriter font (as this is, to me)- which I think means something! There are no Options icons under 'Quote' and above the 'message'. Hmmm mystery to me...

  • 19/08/2014 06:46 in reply to larkandwarbler

    Just testing this works, Larkand warbler.  I went into the Insert/Edit, I uploaded a photo which I took last year in our garden.  Where you see the quote in blue you have a selection of Bold Italic underline, etc.  Click onto the Insert/Edit Media box which will open up in your pictures, click onto one ignore where it says 550 x then there is a blank box.  Your photo should upload with the green bar going across. If you are happy then click onto Insert and your photo will be like this size.

    Go into preview up above where the option and compose buttons are,if you are happy with the size/photo then you can post it.  

    larkandwarbler said:

    Dear Wren

    When I click on edit, there is no option to 'insert' just the box with my 'Quote' in it, but it's in typewriter font (as this is, to me)- which I think means something! There are no Options icons under 'Quote' and above the 'message'. Hmmm mystery to me...

    J

  • 19/11/2014 22:59 in reply to Westie69

    A cheap squirrel deterent: hang your feeders from lengths of fishing line. Squirrels could cope but they don't like it. Jane.

    p.s. The hanging baskets are an excellent idea. I shall buy some forthwith. Thank you.

  • 17/07/2015 17:08

    This is a brilliant idea, I went out yesterday and bought a couple of hanging baskets, put them together, and today the small birds are enjoying their very own feeder! A very enterprising starling managed to find his way in too!! But at least it is giving the small birds a chance.

  • 02/08/2015 05:36 in reply to Mrs Mac

    I have had a problem with pigeons bullying my small birds and while I don't mind them eating some of the seed, it is getting a little expensive now that a few ferrel pigeons have joined the gang. Also, they are causing incredible mess on the patio and weedy growth in the gutters.

    So when gaynorsl gave me the link to this thread, I was delighted. I am going to try the hanging baskets tomorrow. The pigeons have managed to get their heads through the guardian that I have over the feeder, but I doubt that they would manage to feed through the baskets. Well at least I hope so.

    Oh, btw, I also found this idea online and the inventor claimed to have had some success with this.

    anail a'Gháidheal, air a' mhullach

  • 11/10/2019 23:52

    Absolutely brilliant !! Keeps squirrels and pigeons out of the bird feeders too.

    Found this after searching on DIY solutions for keeping pigeons off feeders. Bought two sizes of baskets from Wickes (12" & 14") and they're doing a perfect job. Made one for a tall feeder, and one for a tray feeder, using bits of the chain & clips to support the cage on the tray feeder. Cable-tie hinges work a treat, as advised.

    Don't mind the pigeons eating the ground feed, but not the feeder food. Sorry pigeons. Ground feed only, from now on.

    Thank you so much Lucydot !

     

    Clips & parts of the chain to keep the feeder tray in the centre of the cage.

  • 13/10/2019 13:55
    I have to admit the squirrels outwitted me occasionally by nibbling off the cable ties to let themselves in Joy
    Lucydot
  • 14/10/2019 08:34 in reply to Lucydot
    Ohh ... I'd better watch out for that ;-)
    Plenty of chain links left that might come in handy. Hopefully our squirrel that took a bit of a spin on mine will keep away for a while.
    Thanks again for the instructions, Lucydot. Wickes might be in for a late season run on hanging basket sales, haha.