How to keep Squirrels out of birdhouse
When the unexpected happens in and around your newly put up or old birdhouse, its time to apple a handful of countermeasures to keep predatory squirrels out.
How to keep squirrels off birdhouses can rely on one of three techniques. Among the better options is simply screwing on a 2 by 2 foot wide plywood plank to the roof. Now what will happen is squirrels will be trapped on top, while the birdhouse entry remains far out of reach of squirrels and other predators.
Let me just say, if squirrels are coming to your yard in search of bird food, via a bird feeder or if you're throwing seeds over the ground for birds, its time to stop.
Feeding birds can be the cause of attracting squirrels who in turn, will try to access the birdhouse knowing there's eggs or the young birds inside. Really though squirrels should stay out of birdhouses if they're well fed.
With that in mind I'd suggest you mount a squirrel feeder to a tree a distance away from the birdhouse, in order to feed hungry squirrels on peanuts or seeds.
And i n case you forget to feed birds and therefore squirrels, never put bird food in the birdhouse, as squirrels will trying entering the birdhouse to feed.
While birdhouses don't normally hang, or don't see much success if they are; to hang a birdhouse on a super thin steel wire will prevent squirrels descending down on to it.
I promise you to maintain a birdhouse in spring, including winter as a roosting box; it can really be a satisfying experience when being responsible for bringing new life into the world.
And with that, let's take a look at a few of your options for keeping squirrels out of birdhouses of any kind. Will start by keeping the entry hole well out of reach squirrels, while making sure the birdhouse isn't positioned poorly, like to close to a land bridge.
Keep entry hole out of reach
What is vitally important in keeping squirrels out of birdhouses is to first keep the entry hole to the birdhouse, out of reach of predatory squirrels.
Squirrels have an enormous reach from the object they are stand on, to the birdhouse that might be hanging off a branch or mounted to a pole. With that to contend with, its imperative the birdhouse isn't situated near objects squirrels can climb or jump on.
Now this doesn't apply to the tree, fence, wall or pole the birdhouse is mounted to, but it will apply to what the birdhouse is adjacent too, or what object is opposite the birdhouse - of which squirrels use to jump off or lean over to the birdhouse. Example of that is a birdhouse hanging from a tree limb, which will make it easy pickings for squirrels.
Evidently, this branch or object squirrels use to gain access to the birdhouse entrance hole, will become what is known as a land-bridge.
Similarly, if you utilize a pole to mount a birdhouse too, then its vital to install a squirrel baffle several feet up the pole as this should be enough to stop them in their tracks.
We don't want to give squirrels easy access to a birdhouse, much like a bird feeder, thus the birdhouse location must be changed if squirrels continue to access it.
Make roof big and wide
Don't take access to the birdhouse likely when keeping squirrels out of reach of it, as they will stretch over or even jump, which can be avoided with a birdhouse re-location.
With that being said, squirrels often do access the roof with ease, then reach down to the birdhouse entry hole where they'd position their bodies to reach into the box to steel eggs or kill the young.
Now I can tell you there isn't much that can be done to deny squirrels access to the birdhouse roof, but we can apply a simple technique that will keep squirrels out of reach of the entry hole, which is all that matters.
Simply done, is nailing or screwing on a wide flat plank of plywood on top of the birdhouse roof, or make it in two-part to accommodate a 45 degree angled roof.
With the approximate 2 by 2 foot wide sheet of plywood laid flat on the roof like this, the overhang will be so enormous, all the squirrels can do is look on over to the edge in desperation. Birdhouse entry hole will now be safely tucked in beneath the overlap of the plywood roof, with no access or squirrels coming close to the entry hole again.
What is so great about keeping squirrels out of birdhouses this way, is this additional roof layer can protect birds and their young from all other predators: including snakes, raccoon's or predatory birds who wish to get on the roof first thing, before they attack.
How high a birdhouse is off the ground won't matter one little bit with squirrels, as they will reach the birdhouse regardless of distance off the floor, so we must focus on the roof, or reinforcing the entrance hole only.
Remove any kind of ledge
Keeping with the theme of fortifying any kind of birdhouse for whatever bird species you intend to attract to it, any type of perch or ledge that is affixed under the entry hole must first be removed, by saw or by hacking it off.
Birdhouses can attract all common backyard birds like chickadees or finches of who, none of them require a perch to access or exit a birdhouse.
Birds are fully capable of entering and exiting a birdhouse without what would be a one to two inch wooden - or sometimes metal - dowel poking some way out.
With an unprotected birdhouse, this perch or ledge will become a kind of foothold, whereby predators like squirrels can hold onto it in a way that assists them as they attempt squeeze inside the birdhouse.
Its vital then if your store-bought birdhouse comes with a perch, to remove it in a way you know best. Saw it if you can but you can hack it off before sanding it smooth as an option.
Seriously though, you can resolve a lot of issues with squirrels in your birdhouse if only the perch was gone. Failing to remove this helpful dowel on a birdhouse will see other predators in the box that could be more dangerous than a squirrel.
Apply predator guard
If you do not wish to hammer or screw on an extended roof to your birdhouse, due to little experience in woodworking or you feel it will ruin the decor of your box; let's look at your last but effective solution for how to keep squirrels off birdhouses.
OK then, first we can simply screw on what is a metal plate, known as a predator guard.
This steel plate would have a round hole which can be bought to measure up to the same size as your default birdhouse entrance hole.
What this metal plate will do is prevent squirrels damaging the inner entry hole in an effort to make the hole bigger, so they can squeeze through.
Realistically, squirrels are still able to climb into a birdhouse via a larger entry hole for woodpeckers for example. With that, we can affix a wooden block - by screws or glue - that can match the cedar wood of the birdhouse.
What this wooden block will do is extend the entry hole outwards of up to one inch.
Squirrels lean into a birdhouse in a way that is safe for them, yet an extended out entry hole may make them think twice in case they get stuck.
Better still, a predator guard can also appear like a squirrel proof feeder; only this cage can allow small birds to enter through the wire gaps to reach their birdhouse entrance hole, whilst keeping squirrels on the outside.
Summary
How you will protect your birdhouse from predatory squirrels would be to apply one or two techniques, that have shown great success in the past.
A favorite of mine which I haven't tried out myself yet if I am being honest with you, is to double up the birdhouse roof to a wider attachment.
You'd take a 2 by 2 foot plank of plywood then screw it onto the roof of the birdhouse; or you will use two parts if screwing this extended roof onto an angled roof, as oppose to a flat roof which is easier to work with.
Either way, an angled roof can at least make it uncomfortable for squirrels to linger.
Back on topic then, now with this screwed on extended roof doubling up the birdhouse roof - squirrels won't be able to reach underneath - where the birdhouse entry hole will remain out of reach of squirrels, plus all predators that come visiting.
In addition to screwing on a wide roof on top of the original, rather than replacing the roof all together - any perch or ledge below the entry hole must be cut off.
Perches don't assist birds at all but can provide a convenient foothold as predators try to gain access to the box interior.
Finally, there's no harm in applying a metal or wooden block predator guard to the birdhouse, in an effort to stop squirrels leaning into the box so easy.
Share this article:
