WILDLIFE LEARNING CENTER

Before you invest in a bird feeder you may want to consider where to place it. Where do you want to watch your birds from? A Kitchen window... a sliding glass door opening from a deck...a second floor window?

Pick a location that has year-round easy access. When the weather is bad and birds are most vulnerable, you may be reluctant to fill a feeder that isn't in a convenient spot near a door or accessible window.

Also consider the "mess" factor. Pick a location where discarded seed shells and bird droppings won't be a problem for clean up. Put your feeder where the squirrels can't reach. Those cute little rodents seem to like sunflower and peanuts as much or more than acorns. Squirrels become a problem when they take over a bird feeder, scaring the birds away, and tossing seed all over.

What's worse, frustrated squirrels have been known to entertain themselves by chewing right through plastic or wooden feeders.

If you have seen squirrels in your neighborhood, its safe to assume they will visit your feeder. Think long and hard before you hang anything from a tree limb. Squirrels are incredibly agile, and any feeder hanging from a tree limb, with or without a baffle, is likely to become a squirrel feeder.

In the long run, a squirrel-proof feeder or any feeder on a pole with a baffle is the least aggravating solution. If you must hang a feeder, select a tube protected with metal mesh. If you have the "right" situation in your yard, a pole with a baffle should suffice. Any wood or plastic feeder can be effective when mounted on a pole with a plastic or metal baffle, if the pole is at least 10 feet or more from a tree limb or trunk.