I have figured out how to keep deer out. I built a fence around my yard, then an enclosed fence for my garden. So, I don’t worry about deer. I also have squirrels reasonably under control with my garden fence, baffles on the seed poles, and the use of Red-Hot Bird Seed. But with squirrels, you never know. They are wily so-and-sos.
But grackles are another story. They drive me crazy.
I have a spring perch feeder that’s supposed to slam shut when a heavy bird, like a grackle, lands, but they figured out if they land on the side and lean in, they can snatch my expensive sunflower hearts. I replaced the sunflower hearts with safflower seeds, which they don’t like, and that sort of works, but then I can’t feed my bluebirds sunflower hearts or chips.
The only way I have found to discourage the black pests is with a glass bowl feeder. For the most part, they work,
These colorful bowl feeders attract songbirds and encourage feeding. They are about 6-inches in diameter with about a 2 ½ inch hole on each side. Small birds (and even larger birds like catbirds and cardinals) can fly inside, feed and leave, but grackles really can’t.
Sometimes an extra-wily grackle will land on the side and position his feet to allow a peck or two, but it largely keeps them out. However, if you don’t put these on a pole with a baffle, the squirrels can and will figure out a way to eat the seeds UNLESS you use the red-hot birdseed, which I do.
These bowl birdfeeders are very attractive and are made by Lily’s Home. So far, so good with the grackles.