How does a squirrel baffle work

Stop squirrels in their tracks as they climb or descend on bird feed with use of a disc shaped baffle that prevents rodents getting on they other side, so not just squirrels.

How does a squirrel baffle works actually is an installed on tight wide disc that stops squirrels climbing, as they become trapped on the wrong side. Baffles must be mounted at a certain height on a pole or can be fixed on top of hanging bird feeders. Correct position is crucial so there is trial and error involved.

What is the best squirrel baffle can really depend on your needs; so does it need to be mounted to a pole or would a bird feeder baffle combination be a better option.

On one hand the pole mounted squirrel baffle can prevent squirrels having easy pickings on multiple feeders on the feeding station...

Whereas on the other hand a bird feeder installed baffle could be all you need.

If you have a single bird feeder or perhaps one that is hanging off a tree branch, then the squirrel baffle becomes the hook for the feeder while preventing squirrels descending down on it from above.

You must know a squirrel baffle should be the go to method of how to keep squirrels off bird feeders, before wasting your time in search of other ways.

Baffles can be a solid, durable clear plastic upside down dome that does what its suppose to, but a far wider yet more flimsy baffle can kick squirrels off at it collapses.

Squirrel baffles success depends on where they are mounted on a pole, so as a rule of thumb the higher up the better. But not so high the squirrels can simply access food via another bird feeder within reach.

Baffles create a barrier

The idea behind a squirrel baffle is simply to stop squirrels in their tracks. How it works is simply a barrier between the bird food and the nuisance squirrels.

Where a squirrel baffle goes is on the pole of a bird feeding station or a more specialty post on a square wooden pole of a mounted feeding platform.

What you must do for a squirrel baffle to work effectively is to fix it so the pole is in a position where squirrels can't get on the other side of it.

What a squirrel baffle has on its side is the way its built, so basically an often flimsy sheet of plastic disc that fans so wide, its near impossible for squirrels to get on the other side.

So to can that work against raccoons or other nuisance critters in many cases.

Squirrel baffle effectiveness depends highly on the person responsible for mounted it to said post or stand - so unless its fixed at a certain height, the baffle would be useless, as squirrels can simply get to other side.

Climbing or descending baffle

How a squirrel baffle works for preventing squirrels climbing up a pole to reach the bird food, is in a way the baffle is positioned, sloping downwards.

You'd therefore, in theory, see the squirrels climb the post before reaching the baffle beneath it, making it near impossible for squirrels to climb across it as the flimsiness simply snaps, thus throwing off the squirrel.

However, a squirrel baffle can be used one more way that is just as effective, if not a little better in terms of preventing squirrels.

This time the squirrel baffle must be fixed on top of any one hanging bird feeder, hung off the bracket of a bird feeding station or tree branch.

Once more, the squirrel baffle is mounted above any type of bird feeder in such a way the bird food is out of reach, and never seen with squirrels trapped on top. Whereas the food is hanging below this awkward, impossible to climb on top plastic disc.

You'd then be able to use a squirrel baffle to prevent squirrels climbing a pole to reach any one bird feeder, or fix it on top of just the one feeder if that's all you got.

I will say though a squirrel baffle designed for use with hanging bird feeders does become a double hook: as the baffle needs to be hung off the bracket or tree branch while the feeder must be hung underneath, on the baffles own hook in the center.

Rely on wide baffles only

What can be described as a wide disc or rounded dome, that is all what a squirrel baffle is in terms of it use.

No special contraption or other unique anti-squirrel devices are needed.

The wider the squirrel baffle is the flimsier the squirrel baffle becomes; its therefore possible to see the plastic disc snap every time squirrels attempt to climb over it, as its unable to hold the squirrel weight.

Likewise, solid plastic dome shape squirrel baffles are available but can still be just as effective.

Only this time the plastic is more solid and durable, thus has very little movement if squirrels clamber all over it in an attempt to reach the bird feeders above it, or if descending on bird food from above.

Smaller, multi-compatible dome squirrel baffles are very effective, but what is a better option are the much wider baffles - that are not always dome or curved at all - but more so reach out wide flat.

Correct positioning is vital

How a squirrel baffle works relies heavily on where you'd position the squirrel baffle, but mostly refers to where on the pole of a bird feeding station.

It could be a trial and error on your part as you need time to find the sweet spot, but in terms of height, the higher the better.

High as a squirrel baffle must be to prevent squirrels simply jumping over it, because they are good jumpers - and so to where squirrels can't get a footing on the ground as they reach up to it, and then simply climb above it.

Position the squirrel baffle high up the post as it can, perhaps more than four foot up if all possible.

A higher point on the bird feeding station or shepherd's hook pole would be needed for the baffle, where you may find yourself needing more height - but only to find the pole is not tall enough from the beginning.

In situating the squirrel baffle on the pole of the bird feeding station or wooden post of the platform feeder - remember the bird feeders or bird food should never be within reach, as the squirrel attempt to climb or descend.

While you focus on preventing climbing or descending squirrels, instead you might forget the squirrels can simply reach over to grab food off other hanging feeders.

Squirrels take indirect route

Squirrels baffle are a great way to prevent squirrels from climbing up or descending down to reach feeders or food out in the open.

But what you must remember is squirrels are very cunning, so instead knowing they can't reach the bird food, they might find a new route to the tasty treats in your backyard.

How they primarily do that is simply using what is called a land-bridge; and that refers to using a fence, shed, wall or other object in your yard to reach out or jumping over to the bird feeder, sat above the baffle.

And herein lies the problem while using a squirrel baffle, it simply becomes the ideal landing platform for squirrels to jump onto.

You must therefore isolate your bird feeding station by placing it not so much out in the open, far away from cover in vegetation - but at least 4ft. away from anything squirrels can access the bird food or feeders via an indirect route they can climb up and around.

Squirrel baffles are not at fault if this happens, but when it does you simply need to move things around until you find the best possible position in the yard.

Serves to deter large birds

Other uses a squirrel baffle has is not always to keep rodents out of bird feeders, but more so to deter larger, more nuisance birds.

Not at all effective against Starlings, but a squirrel baffle sitting on top of a bird feeder can prevent pigeons or crows in rare circumstances.

How that works is the squirrel baffle would sit on top of the hanging bird feeders to stop descending squirrels - but if its positioned low enough the larger birds would be unable to land beneath it.

This method cannot work with a squirrel baffle mounted to a pole but above a hanging bird feeder only.

It can also depend on bird feeders in use, as there's not much use in setting up a squirrel baffle to stop large birds landing on the perch to feed, when the feeder is so long its possible for any larger bird to use it.

Make it a short bird feeder if using a mounted above it squirrel baffle, as the feeder sinks beneath, making it even harder to access.

But on a plus side, the bird feeder does become waterproof if its installed in such a way there's no gaps sitting above the feeder.

So bonus of a squirrel baffle when its not being used as its supposed too, is it helps to keep bird feeders dry while sitting out in the yard.

Conclusion

How a squirrel baffle works under normal circumstances is preventing squirrels climbing or descending to reach what would be bird food or bird feeders on the other side.

What this large, upside down fan or satellite shaped plastic thin disc must do, is be mounted to the pole or post of a bird feeding station or feeding platform.

Squirrel baffles would be fixed higher up the pole, as far as it would go; as to prevent squirrels simply jumping or climbing over it with help from a nearby land bridge in the yard.

Smaller, upside down clear plastic squirrel baffles can be used and are usually mounted universally - so one size squirrel baffle would be compatible with difference size poles and brands.

How you'd mount the squirrel baffle is with a twist of a bolt, that pushes up against the metal pole to prevent it slipping down.

Movement is allowed on larger baffles in which helps towards kicking off squirrels as it caves in with any weight sitting on top.

You can fix a baffle on a pole to prevent squirrels climbing up, or fix a baffle directly on top of a hanging bird feeder to prevent squirrels descending down.

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