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In Search of the Perfect Bird Feeder

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Is there such a thing as the “perfect” bird feeder? If you have asked me about this topic, I surely answered “no”. The different feeding styles and food preferences of birds make this an impossible task for one bird feeder. Birds and seeds haven’t really changed over the past 25 years, but people’s needs have.

I thought I would revisit this topic. What would a bird feeder have to do to earn this honor? Here is my list of requirements:

  1. It must be able to feed many different seed types
  2. It must accommodate different size birds
  3. It must be versatile (decks, trees, poles)
  4. It must be easy to clean and maintain
  5. It should be water resistant
  6. It should have a lifetime warranty (limited at the very least)
  7. It must be squirrel –proof or highly squirrel resistant
  8. It must be resistant to grackle, starlings and other pest birds
  9. It must be easy to use for a wide variety of people
  10. It should be reasonably priced

So, given my list above, can you guess the one that eliminated most of the feeders in the store? Number 7 is a killer. We sell a lot of great feeders from Aspects that hang in there for quite a while but 7 & 8 are tough. While a pole system with a baffle is an awesome set up, they just don’t work in all yards.

The winner in my mind is . . . The Squirrel Buster Plus by Brome. Why? I will refer to my list.

  1.  You can feed many different seeds, though I would avoid anything with fruit
  2. The Cardinal Ring makes it is easy to use for large birds as well as small ones
  3. It is easily hung from trees, deck arms, poles & eaves
  4. It can be easily disassembled and is dishwasher safe
  5. The roof and sheath are flared to deflect rain
  6. Parts are easily found and the warranty is very good
  7. It is the best squirrel-proof feeder on the market. Period.
  8. I have found it is great against grackles and starlings
  9. When it is full of seed it can be a bit heavy, but it opens and closes easily
  10. It is on the expensive side but I would ask you to consider all that it does and the warranty before you dismiss it. The money you save by not feeding the squirrels and blackbirds is substantial. You could also consider its smaller cousin the Squirrel Buster Classic.

While your backyard may not require one “perfect” bird feeder, there are many reasons to invest in the Squirrel Buster Family of feeders. Any one or two of the list above may be enough!

By Mark McKellar

SUMMER 2011