This is the time of year when many of you are faced with challenges certain backyard visitors present. They can really test one’s patience. I’m talking about Grackles and Starlings, Raccoons, Chipmunks, and Ring-tailed Lemurs. Well, maybe not Ring-tailed Lemurs.
Your bird feeders are of great interest to these semi-seasonal inconveniences largely due to the breeding season. I did not mention squirrels because we deal with them 365 days a year. The others tend to be more of a seasonal issue. One thing worth mentioning about squirrels is they are more likely to eat safflower during this time. We’ve already heard from a few of you that squirrels have decided to start eating safflower when previously they did not. Usually, it is the new young squirrels that eat safflower. All we can say about that is this too shall pass, typically by mid to end of summer.
The winners, however, of the most complaints category belongs to Grackles and Starlings. When they are on or preparing to be on, the nest they seek quick, easy food sources and will visit feeders in droves, eventually bringing their babies, too. We recommend a variety of strategies to deal with their presence and lessen their negative impact:
• Offer nothing but Safflower seed in feeders most used by the intruders rather than sunflower, or blends with shelled seeds, shelled peanuts, and fruit. Safflower is smaller than sunflower and has a different shape, and a hard shell that Grackles and Starlings cannot crack open. Safflower is our 2nd best-selling seed year round until spring and early summer when it becomes #1.
Caged feeder
Clinging bird feeder
• Limit opportunities. Available feeders should be difficult for a large bird like a grackle to use, for instance, small bird only or caged type feeders. Yes, this will also limit Cardinals but they will be happy with safflower or whatever falls to the ground. If you have a tube type feeder with perches consider cutting them in half. They are usually made of aluminum and easy to cut. Half a perch will present great difficulties for a Grackle and Starling but small birds will use them easily.
• Suet is a favorite food source during this time because it’s soft and easy to take large chunks. Removing the food source for a week may cause the problem birds to move along. There are caged type suet feeders that allow access by smaller birds. Larger woodpeckers will learn to hang on the cage and reach into the feeder for the suet.
Caged suet feeder
Erva caged suet feeder
• Another thing to try is to take note of the timing of their visits. You can offer smaller amounts of food, like a third of a suet cake at a time, or just a cup of seed in a platform feeder so your desired visitors have a consistent food source for part of the day. When the problem visitors show up there is little or no food remaining.