It can be frustrating to wake up in the morning, excited to see all the birds visiting your feeder, only to find that it’s completely empty! A bird feeder that’s emptied overnight likely points to a common backyard pest that’s sneaking in for a free meal. Let’s explore some of the usual suspects that may be raiding your feeder and tips to deter them.
Raccoons
Raccoons are extremely common in suburban and urban areas, and they absolutely love bird seed! These nocturnal mammals have very dexterous front paws that allow them to open feeder lids and platforms meant to deter squirrels. A raccoon can easily ravage a feeder overnight, scattering seed all over the ground in the process.
Raccoons are primarily identified by their bandit-like black masks and ringed tails. They may visit your yard alone or in small family groups. If you hear rummaging on your deck at night, shine a flashlight and look for eyeshine to confirm if raccoons are the culprits.
To deter nightly raccoon feeder raids, here are some tactics to try:
- Use a feeder with a steel wrapping around the pole and a weighted dome lid to protect the seed port and make it trickier to open.
- Install a motion-activated sprinkler that will spray water when raccoons approach at night.
- Place bamboo sticks or large gravel around the feeder pole so raccoons cannot gain footing to climb.
- Apply petroleum jelly or hot pepper gel on the pole.
- Bring feeders in overnight and hang them back up in the morning.
- Use feeders with weight-triggered perches so birds can eat but heavier animals cannot.
Squirrels
Squirrels are extremely persistent when it comes to stealing from bird feeders, thanks to their intelligence, dexterity, and athletic ability. They will chew through plastic and wood, do acrobatic leaps and hangs, and find ways to access seed from creative angles.
Fox squirrels and gray squirrels are the most common feeder thieves. Identifying physical features are tufted ears and an orange-brown coat on fox squirrels and solid gray fur on grays. Squirrels will greedily gorge on seed, sometimes taking it down to stash and bury elsewhere.
Squirrel prevention tactics:
- Use feeders with weight-activated perches.
- Try a ‘squirrel baffle’ dome that prevents access from above or below.
- Apply hot pepper powder or spray designed for squirrels.
- Smear petroleum jelly on pole and feeder to make things slippery.
- Install a squirrel guard ring or cone below the feeder’s hanging wire.
- Place feeders at least 5-6 feet away from trees, fences, and jump points.
- Elevate feeder on a pole with an open yard clearance.
Deer
Though less acrobatic than squirrels, deer can still access hanging bird feeders if motivated, especially young bucks who may see the feeder as a novelty. Deer will grab mouthfuls of seed from tray feeders or use their tongue to lap it up. They are primarily early morning and dusk visitors.
Identifying features of deer include hooved legs, four-chambered stomachs, pronounced ears, and short tails. Their fur ranges from reddish to grayish-brown depending on region and season.
Recommendations to protect your feeders from deer:
- Use feeders with very short perches or trays that are too narrow for deer mouths.
- Hang feeders at least 8 feet or higher if you have motivated young bucks.
- Install feeders a good distance from woods edges or known deer trails.
- Apply deer repellent sprays or granules around your yard.
- Use feeders that close automatically at night when deer tend to visit most.
- Plant marigolds, daffodils, or other flowers deer dislike around feeders.
- Scatter human hair collected from your brush around feeders to deter deer.
Bears
Bears are immensely powerful and have a phenomenal sense of smell, so a stocked bird feeder will seem like a free buffet. Bears will ravage feeders made of plastic, metal, or wood if they contain irresistible seed or suet.
Bear species common to suburban areas include black bears, grizzly bears, and brown bears. They have stocky, lumbering bodies with small ears and short tails.
Recommendations for preventing bear damage:
- Stop feeding birds seasonally in summer and fall when bears are most active.
- Install feeders at least 50 yards from forest edges if bears are in the area.
- Bring feeders in overnight and use feeders that close at dusk.
- Clean up any spilled seed to avoid attracting bears.
- Use bear-proof steel feeder poles and large baffles.
- Apply ammonia or pepper spray deterrents around your yard’s perimeter.
- Use electronic deterrents like motion-activated lights and sounds.
Rats
Like squirrels, rats are incredibly nimble, intelligent, and motivated when it comes to stealing bird seed. They are nocturnal and able to climb poles, wires, and feeder tubes with ease. Rats will consume seed, damage feeders, and contaminate uneaten food.
Rats have slender bodies, hairless tails, protruding snouts, and large ears. Look for small claw marks and chew marks to confirm rat damage.
Recommendations for deterring rats:
- Remove any brush, ivy, woodpiles, and debris near feeders that rats can hide and nest in.
- Use feeders with weight-triggered perches too heavy for rats.
- Apply hot pepper powder to seed.
- Use feeders that electrically shock rats but not birds.
- Hang feeders from a freestanding smooth pole with a baffle.
- Elevate feeders on a pole with a plastic predator guard below.
- Keep the ground below feeders clean.
Opossums
Opossums are notorious for raiding both hummingbird and seed feeders at night. They will scavenge any accessible food sources using their sharp teeth and nimble paws.
Features that identify opossums are pointy faces, hairless tails, “pouch” belly flaps, and 50 sharp teeth. They often hiss or play dead when threatened.
Ways to stop opossums from stealing feeder food:
- Only hang feeders from smooth poles without footholds.
- Use feeders that automatically close at night.
- Install motion-activated lights and sprinklers.
- Apply opossum repellent like pepper gel around your yard.
- Use a baffle on poles and hang feeders away from branches.
- Remove hiding places like brush piles and woodpiles.
Cats
Free-roaming neighborhood cats and lost pets will investigate bird feeders and may scare birds away. A cat may not be able to access the seed itself but will frighten birds with its presence below.
Key identifying features of cats are retractable claws, excellent night vision, and stealth movements focused on their prey’s motion.
Recommendations for keeping cats away:
- Use cat deterrents like ultrasonic devices, citrus scents, or pepper sprays around your yard.
- Install plastic carpet runner spikes around the base of feeder poles.
- Surround the feeder area with sticks pointing upward in a “bed of nails” style.
- Place bird feeders in the center of open yards away from cat hiding spots.
- Use feeders with collapsible perches that limit space for cats to sit.
- Install a motion-activated sprinkler that will spray approaching cats.
Pest | Identification Tips | Prevention Strategies |
---|---|---|
Raccoons | – Black masks around eyes – Ringed tails – Nocturnal |
– Dome lids – Motion sprinklers – Unclimbable poles – Bring feeders in overnight |
Squirrels | – Tufted ears (fox) – Solid gray fur (gray) – Acrobatic moves |
– Perch feeders – Squirrel baffles – Slippery poles – Feeder distance from trees |
Deer | – Hooves – Large pronounced ears – 4-chambered stomachs |
– Short perches – High hanging – Deer repellent – Night-closing feeders |
Bears | – Stocky, lumbering bodies – Small ears – Short tails |
– Take down in summer/fall – Bear-proof poles and baffles – Feeder distance from woods |
Rats | – Slender bodies – Hairless tails – Excellent climbers |
– Perch feeders – Smooth poles with baffles – Remove hiding spots – Hot pepper or electroshock |
Opossums | – Pointy pig-like faces – Hairless prehensile tails – Night activity |
– Smooth poles – Motion deterrents – Night-closing feeders – Pepper gel repellent |
Cats | – Retractable claws – Stealth movements – Stalking posture |
– Cat repellent sprays – Ultrasonic devices – Feeder distance from hiding spots |
Other Contributing Factors
Along with hungry wildlife stealing the contents, there are some other reasons why your bird feeder may turn up empty every morning:
- High bird traffic – If your yard is a popular spot, hundreds of birds may visit each day and consume all the seed before nightfall or early in the morning.
- Small capacity – Feeders with tiny reservoirs like tube feeders may need refilling twice per day.
- Old seed – Clumped or moldy seed is unappetizing.
- Inclement weather – Birds have higher caloric needs in cold weather and may eat more.
- Pests – Small insects like ants may be stealing from the feeder as well.
- Feeder leaks – Check for cracked ports, holes, or gaps where seed is escaping.
Conclusion
Waking up to an empty bird feeder is very frustrating, but is most often caused by a nocturnal visitor stealing the contents. Raccoons, squirrels, deer, bears, rats, opossums, and cats are smart, persistent, and attracted to “free” seed.
Fortunately, there are many techniques and deterrents we can try to outsmart these wily animals. A variety of specialty bird feeders, strategic setups, repellents, and other discouragement tactics should help protect your bird buffet. Persistence is key, as clever animals will continue trying adaptive approaches.
Along with deterring pests, routinely cleaning and filling your feeders and monitoring for issues like leaks and clumping will help keep seed readily available to your desired bird visitors. Enjoy the peace of mind and added bird entertainment of a feeder that still full of activity in the morning!