In pleasant weather, do you enjoy watching the feathered fowl flutter around the birdfeeder? Do you get upset knowing the food set out is for birds, not the squirrel that is currently eating it? A poor, weak bird has no way of defending his food against an animal larger and heavier than himself, like a bushy-tailed rodent. Learn some tricks while preserving your sanity.
Difference In Anatomy
Birds do not seem to have tongues. That is, hot or cold items are all the same in their mouths; nothing slows them down. Compare that to a squirrel. A rodent (squirrel) is more particular as to what goes in his mouth, and will even spit different foods out.
Now put the two together. Birds eat all manner of seeds, including chili pepper seeds. Mixing anything into the seeds, including cayenne pepper, will not slow down their eating habits. However, a squirrel has a tendency to veer away from spicy foods, most squirrels do anyway. There are a few non-picky rodents out there. A tablespoon or two per ten-pound bag does wonders.
Will This Last?
Just like any other spice or powder, this remedy lasts until a rain comes and washed it away. There are other bird feeder modifications out there worthy of a trial. This seems like a pretty inexpensive way to discourage squirrels from bothering those pretty birds.
