Do Squirrel Baffles work
Baffles can get a bad reputation as squirrels can get on the other side of it, which is the opposite of what should happen, but it is something that can be corrected.
Squirrel baffles can work if installed correctly, with an improved install made up later. Keep an open mind while making adjustment to your original setup as squirrels reveal issues you otherwise didn't know existed until now. Squirrel baffles installed on a pole need time, while hanging baffles are effective.
In an effort to keep squirrels off bird feeders, a squirrel baffle can work to stop the rodents in their tracks, as they climb poles or descend off tree branches.
Unfortunately not even the best squirrel baffle you can buy will work unless its correctly installed, while designed to your specific needs.
You'd need to refine your squirrel baffle setup in due course in an attempt to block off the squirrels new accessible routes - or any weaknesses found on the squirrel baffle itself.
Squirrel baffle weaknesses are related more to your personal install; a mounted to low down to the ground baffle will see squirrels simply jump on to the baffle - with hanging bird feeders still within reach, which would be a fault on your part.
How to keep squirrels off a bird feeders, including squirrels accessing a hanging hummingbird feeder - is to keep it well above a squirrel baffle.
First sign of squirrels somehow reaching the bird feeders usually gives baffles a bad name, while time is needed to eradicate common squirrel baffle install mistake.
I promise you squirrel baffles really do work, you just need to appreciate adjustments on your install must be made, and therefore an improvement on your original setup.
Baffles work if correctly setup
While squirrel baffles can certainly do a good job at preventing squirrels having a free reign over the bird feeder pole - in time a squirrel baffle can work if correctly setup.
Now a squirrel baffle setup might not be correct first time, whereas a few days or weeks would have to pass before all common mistakes can be ratified.
Most common mistake made is how high the squirrel baffle must be mounted on the bird feeding station or Shepherd's Hook pole.
While manufacturer's will tell your 3-4 feet high up the pole, the bird feeder pole in use may only be 5 feet tall. Squirrels cannot stay clinging to the pole while reaching out and over to bird feeders, as it will defeat the purpose.
Bird feeders hung off a pole then must all be hanging above the point where the squirrel baffle happens to be installed.
Similar mistake people will often make when not so much installing a squirrel baffle on a pole - but where the bird feeder pole is located in your yard.
What can happen is squirrels simply by-pass the squirrel baffle when they can simply jump up, or use a nearby fence, tree or garden furniture to reach the bird feeders.
Can stop squirrels climbing poles
While some squirrels can be seen to find a way on top of the squirrel baffle if installed on a pole, if correctly mounted this easy climb up the pole will become harder.
You can't install a squirrel baffle in a way that is renders itself useless; if there is a baffle on the pole by default, then squirrels will at least have a job on their hands.
Don't give squirrels full reign over your bird feeder pole when a squirrel baffle can put a temporary stop to it; yet if they continue to access bird feeders then more time is needed to figure out their pattern or new route.
Issue is less so in the squirrel baffle with more of an issue on your personal setup.
Follow manufacturer's instructions for installing squirrel baffle while remembering adjustments may be needed, thus you can't take official instructions at face-value.
Never install a squirrel baffle where it can't pivot or tip if squirrels get on top if it. The idea behind what is a loosely fitted squirrel baffle disc, is it will force squirrels back onto the ground as they don't expect it to tip under their weight.
Of course where you install the squirrel baffle on the pole must be solid to stop the baffle sliding down the pole in time.
Prevent descending squirrels
While there is many problems of a bird feeder pole mounted squirrel baffle to overcome, the use of a hanging bird feeder baffle just got better.
How a hanging bird feeder squirrel baffle works is its in reverse to a pole mounted baffle.
You'd hang the squirrel baffle off a tree branch or bracket, only then can you hang any bird feeder higher up under the wide disc shape, while it hangs off the baffles own bracket.
What this squirrel baffle setup would look like is it would involve a branch or bracket with a squirrel baffle hanging off it - then any single bird feeder would be hanging under the squirrel baffle.
While squirrels can jump up and over, or get around a pole mounted baffle, this isn't the case with a squirrel baffle designed to prevent descending squirrels.
Squirrels can get on top of the baffle so its not made too tip as to throw them off like the pole mounted option. What this solid mounted baffle does is stay in place, as squirrels cannot get under the disc - and if they try they'd likely fall to the ground.
And when not used as a squirrel baffle its worth keeping it installed, as a baffle can act as rain cover; it would keep your bird seed, and therefore your bird feeder dry when it rains or if risk of snow covering the bird feeder.
Baffle issues to overcome
Unfortunately even with a more successful hanging bird feeder under a squirrel baffle, there are still squirrel baffle issues to overcome.
Among them is squirrels always finding a new route to the bird feeder that so happens to be located on the other side of a baffle.
How a squirrel baffle works is to create a bridge between the hanging bird feeder and the squirrel, among other pests - reaching the bird feeder food.
Some squirrels will succeed at reaching the bird food still while others can give up.
However that isn't to say those who give up don't find a new route to the peanuts, suet or seeds they so desperately want.
With that in mind I suggest you read up my how to keep squirrels off a bird feeder write up, as it will come in useful when applying effective squirrel deterrents.
Never assume a simple squirrel baffle can be installed and that's it. You'd need to observe a squirrels behavior to first prevent any issues that may arise - then close off any routes or fix issues that a persistent squirrel as made known.
Squirrels are persistent
And that is the thing with squirrels, they are so persistent getting at bird feeder food, they could simply damage or pull down a squirrel baffle in their effort to get a meal.
It won't be on purpose but a poorly installed squirrel baffle will soon be known as squirrels jump up to the baffle while knocking it senseless all day long.
Squirrels won't give up so easy so do keep an eye on proceedings after a baffle as been put up - as you can quickly fix the issue before it gets worse.
Well mounted squirrel baffles really do work yet it won't be much use if squirrels decide to find a new route.
First they will try and jump at it from the ground, then a nearby garden object and then try and see if they can descend on it from above. Unlikely of course if the squirrel baffle is installed on a bird feeder pole located in the middle of the yard.
Squirrels baffle do work with a new, larger baffle maybe needed whereas a taller bird feeder pole may be required to provide much needed height to the squirrel baffle pole.
Keep your hanging bird feeders well away from any objects squirrels can take advantage of, then you should keep squirrels well off bird feeders.
To summarize
Squirrel baffles do get a bad reputation due to the fault of people in how they install the baffle to begin with, when they don't realize there's work to be done.
Its still a fair question of do squirrel baffles really work though, when baffles can be seen to be ineffectual as squirrels are seen standing above the baffle - rather than trapped below it - which is actually where squirrels must be held up.
I can assure you squirrel baffles do work but it must be correctly setup to begin with.
Correctly installing a squirrel baffle first time of its use on a pole is unlikely, as you'd need to adjust the height or tension later if squirrels can still get above it.
Don't give up on the type of squirrel baffle that must be installed on a bird feeder pole, as you just need to see how squirrels act with it - then be pro-active by fixing any issues that does arise with use.
Bird feeder pole squirrel baffles do have there issues if its a poorly designed baffle, thus its up to you to buy a well rated baffle rather than a cheap, unknown brand squirrel baffle.
To hang your bird feeders off a tree branch where squirrels descend from above, then a different kind of baffle would be needed - only this option is far more effective - with few negatives I can think of.
Hang the hanging squirrel baffle on a branch, then hang your bird feeder under the baffle off its own hook - then watch as the bird feeder stays untouched by squirrels.
Squirrel baffles that are installed with a solid mount can be seen to not work as well, whereby baffles that are made to tip under the weight of squirrels can work better.
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