The problem I have with birdfeeders with tray is that the sick birds just sit in the trays for long periods of time, eating and pooping their germs onto the food in the tray.
You're Awesome! I certainly appreciate You're expertise of these beautiful creatures ,Thank you and Thank your Wife too ..I don't like mice either 😳 God Bless
I am having this problem…I don’t live in the most urbanized area of SD…but it is coastal, where a lot of people like to live in. I have a rat an mice problem for the reasons you mentioned…but not having an impermeable brush pile or dense cover immediately adjacent to the feeders…is not an option I have. A Cooper’s Hawk lives in this area and he/she takes daily visits to stalk the feeders. This dense cover, while protecting the rats/mice, is also my songbirds’ saving grace and has saved countless songbird lives. I use clean, quality seed only, but the mourning doves always eat in a rush and will eat super fast and scatter seed on the ground. It’s a very difficult situation to have, and while I am extremely grateful to the state of California for banning many potent rodenticides…it’s lacking in its ability to create a more desirable habitat for birds of prey or other predatory animals that may help me depopulate the rats/mice. And now I have an infestation 😞
Hi Julie. One thing you could try is a brush pile that is open underneath. Keep the grounk clear and build the a teepee type structure with bare ground underneath. This will protect the birds while not providing cover for rodents on the ground.
Nice video, very helpful information. We are actually in a small town on the edge of a large orchard where they grow walnuts (we have a pretty healthy squirrel and rodent population for that reason)...I was getting rats in my feeder...but I was using suet in a cage and hung it from a tree branch. The only reason I knew I was getting rats in it was that I had pointed a trail camera at it and the infrared video was getting rats climbing down the line from the branch to get to the feeder at night. They are remarkably agile and intelligent animals. I love birds...but we gave up on the feeder because I did not want to exasperate the rodent problem. Just doing the hummingbird feeder for now. Our backyard attracts plenty of birds anyway with our mature trees and shrubs.
@MarksBackyardBirds No I have not but it would be an interesting experiment! Birds have a poor sense of smell/taste so it makes sense that it would have no effect on birds but repulse mammals. It was a couple of year ago and we have since dealt with our rodent problem but I'm still hesitant to put the feeder back out.
@@BBRubyT This is a bit of an oversimplification but, Grains are things like millet, corn, wheat, oats. Seeds are ones that have seed coats like sunflowers, safflowers and peanuts.
i have bird feeders in my weekend house in village, never seen mice or rats ,there are cats but they are not bother birds, and zero squirell thank God, but alot of sparrows that are native in my country
Hi Mark. Can’t find where I can message so I’m asking here. I just received safflower feast never melt no mess seed from your store but realized it’s a cylinder. Do you have a feeder for them? Please guide me so that I can purchase it. Thanks
I haven’t had this issue with my feeders, just those darn starlings. I had to take my feeders down and am only putting out safflower! Hope they go away.
The problem I have with birdfeeders with tray is that the sick birds just sit in the trays for long periods of time, eating and pooping their germs onto the food in the tray.
@@BBRubyT Certain birds are bad for that. You can certainly remove thee trays.
ah, great info
You're Awesome! I certainly appreciate You're expertise of these beautiful creatures ,Thank you and Thank your Wife too ..I don't like mice either 😳 God Bless
@@gloriadumas1100 thank you!
I am having this problem…I don’t live in the most urbanized area of SD…but it is coastal, where a lot of people like to live in. I have a rat an mice problem for the reasons you mentioned…but not having an impermeable brush pile or dense cover immediately adjacent to the feeders…is not an option I have. A Cooper’s Hawk lives in this area and he/she takes daily visits to stalk the feeders. This dense cover, while protecting the rats/mice, is also my songbirds’ saving grace and has saved countless songbird lives. I use clean, quality seed only, but the mourning doves always eat in a rush and will eat super fast and scatter seed on the ground. It’s a very difficult situation to have, and while I am extremely grateful to the state of California for banning many potent rodenticides…it’s lacking in its ability to create a more desirable habitat for birds of prey or other predatory animals that may help me depopulate the rats/mice. And now I have an infestation 😞
Hi Julie. One thing you could try is a brush pile that is open underneath. Keep the grounk clear and build the a teepee type structure with bare ground underneath. This will protect the birds while not providing cover for rodents on the ground.
@ oh my gosh thank you for this tip!
Nice video, very helpful information. We are actually in a small town on the edge of a large orchard where they grow walnuts (we have a pretty healthy squirrel and rodent population for that reason)...I was getting rats in my feeder...but I was using suet in a cage and hung it from a tree branch. The only reason I knew I was getting rats in it was that I had pointed a trail camera at it and the infrared video was getting rats climbing down the line from the branch to get to the feeder at night. They are remarkably agile and intelligent animals. I love birds...but we gave up on the feeder because I did not want to exasperate the rodent problem. Just doing the hummingbird feeder for now. Our backyard attracts plenty of birds anyway with our mature trees and shrubs.
@@Biodiversity-Institute just curious if you tried a hot pepper suet cake. I am trying to get proof of it being effective against rats and mice.
@MarksBackyardBirds No I have not but it would be an interesting experiment! Birds have a poor sense of smell/taste so it makes sense that it would have no effect on birds but repulse mammals. It was a couple of year ago and we have since dealt with our rodent problem but I'm still hesitant to put the feeder back out.
How do you tell the difference between a grain and a seed?
@@BBRubyT This is a bit of an oversimplification but, Grains are things like millet, corn, wheat, oats. Seeds are ones that have seed coats like sunflowers, safflowers and peanuts.
@@MarksBackyardBirds Simplification is good! Thanks so much!
i have bird feeders in my weekend house in village, never seen mice or rats ,there are cats but they are not bother birds, and zero squirell thank God, but alot of sparrows that are native in my country
Hi Mark. Can’t find where I can message so I’m asking here. I just received safflower feast never melt no mess seed from your store but realized it’s a cylinder. Do you have a feeder for them? Please guide me so that I can purchase it. Thanks
Absolutely. Here is a link: shopbackyardbirdcenter.com/collections/seed-cylinder-feeder
@ thank you
@ the one I like is sold out. Will you be getting more anytime soon?
@ We will hopefully will have them both back in stock in the next couple of weeks.
@ ok thank you
If I had chipmunks visiting my feeders I’d be a happy man! 🤗
I haven’t had this issue with my feeders, just those darn starlings. I had to take my feeders down and am only putting out safflower! Hope they go away.
@@taunichurchill4633 Tthey should move along. They do tend to return during the harshest stretches of winter.
morning all i have 3 pet girl mice with me 24/7 as im housebound granny they are funny little clowns
Please remind people again not to bring seed inside the home = tiny moths in the home = never leave‼️😱
@@EllieMunger-pw6er I think you just did. Great job!
HOT feeds sounds horrible, if they want to eat, let them.