tubular shaped bird feeders
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
United States
March 25, 2011 2:47pm CST
Does anyone know if they have better luck with the long tubular bird feeders that hang vertically and have a few small perches on them? I've seen them and thought to myself... perhaps this will be a style that will be too small for the starlings to sit on or squirrels to pester. As I have a horizontal feeder that i guess you could say is bout the size of a shoebox with a lid on it like a roof and a ledge around the bottom for the birds to perch. The starlings and squirrels empty that one clean. Would it be worth my wild to try one of these styled feeders?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@peavey (16936)
• United States
25 Mar 11
I bought a tube type of feeder that is spring loaded, so squirrels and heavier birds can't get to the seed. When they get on a perch, the spring closes the ports. I had one kind of like you had. It was a house like thing, with a roof and around the bottom was a ledge where the birds sat. The squirrels ate so many of the seeds and scattered the rest that I quit feeding altogether until I found this one. I don't remember where I got it, but if you look for squirrel proof feeders, I'm sure you can find it. There are a lot of styles of squirrel proof feeders and I did a lot of research before settling on this one. It really works well.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
6 Apr 11
Now the other question is it starling proof? Or would they still be light weight enough that they would not trigger it to close? Thanks for the idea I'll look into it. I just hate to spend tons of money, but I dislike the squirrels and starlings more.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
6 Apr 11
I don't know if they all are, but some are adjustable for weight. I think mine is but I've never adjusted it. The starlings get into it early in the year but I never see them after that. I figured that was because they gained weight with more food available in the summer.
@Christmas2006 (1661)
• United States
26 Mar 11
We have several of the tube type and I got my daughter one too. We really like them, the one with the different perches. They even have them with 3 tubes together. The problem I had was 3 deer that came up and the one deer tipped it and poured the food into the other deers mouth, they actually took turns doing it! Although we have squirrels, I have never seen them around the bird feeders. I have a really big one with the base like your talking about, but for some reason the food isn't flowing through it well and the birds have a hard time getting their 'seeds'. Also in the winter, the base fills with the snow or rain and freezes so the seed can't come out. This was why we got the tube ones.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
6 Apr 11
Did you catch a pic of the deer getting into mischief? That certainly had to be a sight to see.
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
29 Mar 11
i've had less squirrel problems with those.they still try to get on it,but usually fall off.i'd get one without a bottom ledge tho.just little perches.
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
2 Jul 11
I think the style you were talking about are more effective, atleast from what I've seen. The squirrels don't seem to bother them none from what I've seen atleast, and feed stays in them for longer amount of time.
@Nadinest1 (2016)
• Canada
2 Apr 11
In canada, these type of bird feeders are quite popular. Where there is bird seed, there will be squirrels.
@GardenGerty (157675)
• United States
25 Mar 11
Those are often called finch feeders and they are suited for smaller birds, so you might try it. You might have to try some kind of special food as well, like black oil sunflower or thistle seed. I do not have anything like that. I have more of your "shoe box style"
