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Dear BirdGal,What can I do to get rid of the grackles and blackbirds that
raid my feeders? Ann
Dear Ann, Change the seed you are using! Grackles and blackbirds will not eat
safflower. Safflower is a small white seed similar in appearance, but smaller
than, black oil sunflower seed. Like sunflower seed, safflower is an oil seed.
Cardinals, titmice and other songbirds love safflower! Also, most squirrels do
not like safflower because of its bitter taste. BG
BirdGal, What are those moths in my birdseed and how can I get rid of them?
Grossed Out in Milford
Dear Grossed Out, Birdseed isn�t processed like human food and isn�t subject to
the same guidelines. The seeds are harvested, lightly cleaned of debris and then
packaged. Insects have laid eggs in/on the seeds in the field and some of those
eggs end up in the bags. When the weather warms up in the summer those eggs are
going to hatch. The biggest problem of all is the meal moth. It starts out
�webby� and worm-like (larvae) then morphs into the moth. If the moths get into
your house they will make a bee-line for your pantry and invade all your grain
based dry products, lay eggs and start the cycle all over. So, during warmer
months, buy smaller amounts of seed more frequently and store seed in a
container with a tight fitting lid in the garage or in a shed. BG
MORE INFO.....
HOW TO DEAL WITH BIRDFEEDER PESTS
There are several birds and mammals that most backyard naturalists consider
pests around the birdfeeding station. Most nuisance critters � squirrels,
raccoons, possum, deer, starlings, blackbirds, grackles, house sparrows � can be
controlled by restricting access to feeders or changing to a different seed.
Feeder Access Restriction
You can prevent mammals from raiding your bird feeder if you locate it properly.
Pole mounted or pole hung feeders should be placed at least 10� away from a
�launching pad� because squirrels can jump about 810� horizontally. Then, in
order to prevent mammals from climbing the pole, you must fit it with a baffle.
There are can-shaped baffles, conical-shaped baffles and flat circular baffles.
In my opinion the can-shaped baffles are the most effective. Baffles should be
placed at least 5� off the ground to prevent squirrels from jumping over them
and accessing the feeders. There are oversized baffles to prevent raccoons from
climbing feeder poles, too. If you insist on putting your feeder in a tree, the
only way a hanging-feeder baffle will be effective is if it is large enough to
cover the whole feeder and the feeder is hung at least 8-10� from the tree trunk
or other �launching pad�.
Controlling Pests with Bird Seed
Grackles and blackbirds are such voracious eaters and arrive in such numbers
that they can empty your sunflower seed feeder in one afternoon! The good news
is that neither bird likes safflower seed. Safflower is a white oil seed similar
in size and shape to black oil sunflower seeds (refer to �Seed Preference
ChitChat�). To rid your backyard of these pesky birds, replace your sunflower
seeds with safflower seeds in your feeders until late fall when most blackbirds
and grackles move further south for the winter. A side benefit of using
safflower seed is that most squirrels do not like the bitter taste and they,
too, will stay away from the feeder!
If starlings and house sparrows are the problem, it is probably because you are
using a mixed seed. Both these birds prefer the millet found in most mixes. You
can eliminate starlings and house sparrows by switching to either black oil
sunflower or safflower seed. If starlings are a problem on your suet feeder,
purchase an �upside down� suet feeder. Woodpeckers and other desirable birds
have no problem feeding upside down, but starling can not hang on very long in
that position, so become less of a nuisance.
Feeders
There are several different feeders on the market now that are designed to
eliminate nuisance mammals and birds. Some feeders have cages around them to
allow only smaller birds access to the seed inside. Some feeders close when the
weight of a squirrel lands on the perches. There are also feeders with domes
that can be lowered so the larger birds and squirrels can not get inside.
If you are having trouble with pesky creatures in your backyard, talk to the
�backyard birdfeeding experts� at Wild About Birds. We�ve got baffles, critter
proof feeders and specialty seeds that can help you eliminate unwanted birds and
mammals from your birdfeeding station.
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