Squirrel proof bird feeder crushes House Starling’s head
Every day I hear from people who want to attract specific species of birds to their feeders or who want to keep the squirrels from eating the bird seed so there is some left for the birds. They try every kind of feeder and this design with a metal mechanism is dangerous.
This morning Bev Ellen posted a horrific image of a House Starling with its neck caught in a ‘squirrel proof’ bird feeder. This bird feeder and any like it should be banned. If you have one you should be removing it. Bev Ellen took these images to warn people about what can happen at these feeders:
The bird died. Its head was crushed in the mechanism to keep the squirrels out.
Please pass this information around to friends and family. If you have another brand, also check that it does not have a mechanical mechanism that can crush the heads of the wildlife. Thank you!
Thank you, Bev Ellen, for bringing this to everyone’s attention today and for allowing me to use her name and her photographs.
I went to the UK as a Commonwealth Scholar in 1990 and received my PhD from the University of Leicester in 1993. After three decades of university teaching, I retired to devote my time to the study of raptor behaviour. I am particularly interested in Ospreys and am working on a long term project on third hatch survival and siblicide in these raptors. My blog is a result of a fascination with my local wildlife and the desire to encourage others to love and care for birds! I live on the Canadian Prairies and prior to the pandemic travelled a lot. I am questioning the use of aviation fuel at the moment as we all strive to help our planet. My early research was in politics and art including British public statues exported to Southeast Asia and Vietnam Resistors that contributed much to Canadian ceramics. Books and articles were published on those subjects over a period of 3 decades. Now I am working on books for children so they can learn about the challenges our raptors face.
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Hi Linda. I did send it to the manufacturer, and they wrote back. This is what they said: “There are other squirrel resistant solutions where the port doesn’t close, but the perch and/or seed tray collapses – Droll Yankees Tipper, Whipper, Dipper or the famed Flipper that spins the squirrel from the feeder.
Specific to the Mx5, consumers can adjust the spring tension, which allows several birds to engage with the feeder without the ports closing – I suspect the consumer in this situation didn’t make any adjustments to the feeder. It was set at the lightest setting.”
It sounds like they knew about the issue – the public should avoid these at all costs.
Ah, trying to do too much multi-tasking. I am going to get on to the manufacturer right now. I have contacted the retail chain here but they are sold across North America. So check your local supplier when you are in for seed and spread the word. Can you imagine that poor bird? Like medieval torture!
Oh Mary Ann this is horrible. I hope this kind is banned. I hope the bird didn’t suffer. 🙏😢 we just use regular feeders and put sunflower seed in one for the squirrels and bird seed in the other for birds. This is on our bay window side so we can watch them.
In the back my husband has open feeders and lanterns for any of them.
I pray no more get harmed or killed from this type.🙏
The owner was absolutely devastated! It certainly would have been painful. These types of feeders are sold throughout North America. I contacted the retail chain here but they are marketed everywhere so check your local suppliers when you get a chance and let everyone know. Yes, they should be banned! Absolutely.
This just happened to one of my birds today. I am devastated. The nut from the bottom of the Squirrel Buster feeder must have gotten loose (I have raccoons and squirrels that try to get into it) and the bottom piece fell and decapitated a sparrow. I’m so heartbroken. I took both of those feeders down and am switching to regular ones and putting them on a pole with a baffle instead of hanging from a tree. And I will be contacting the manufacturer.
I am so sorry, Rana. Good for you for reaching out to the manufacturer I hope that you took photographs. You should demand your money back. I hate to see any animal killed and I have seen birds and squirrels get their heads stuck in the tube feeders. We have found that the tray feeders on the poles work best. Yes, the squirrels will get up there, but our raccoons have not been able to. Mind you I feed them in a different location! Thank you for letting me know. I will try and remember to advise our other readers to check those nuts and bolts if they use that type of feeder.
Good grief. That is a horrifying sight!
Can you send this photo to the manufacturer or seller?
I agree, squirrel proofing feeders should be banned.
I second that Salliane! This is very sad news.
Hi Linda. I did send it to the manufacturer, and they wrote back. This is what they said: “There are other squirrel resistant solutions where the port doesn’t close, but the perch and/or seed tray collapses – Droll Yankees Tipper, Whipper, Dipper or the famed Flipper that spins the squirrel from the feeder.
Specific to the Mx5, consumers can adjust the spring tension, which allows several birds to engage with the feeder without the ports closing – I suspect the consumer in this situation didn’t make any adjustments to the feeder. It was set at the lightest setting.”
It sounds like they knew about the issue – the public should avoid these at all costs.
Ah, trying to do too much multi-tasking. I am going to get on to the manufacturer right now. I have contacted the retail chain here but they are sold across North America. So check your local supplier when you are in for seed and spread the word. Can you imagine that poor bird? Like medieval torture!
The feeders used by locals here in Hawaii are not equipped with a squirrel slider. Thankfully there are no squirrels here.
Oh Mary Ann this is horrible. I hope this kind is banned. I hope the bird didn’t suffer. 🙏😢 we just use regular feeders and put sunflower seed in one for the squirrels and bird seed in the other for birds. This is on our bay window side so we can watch them.
In the back my husband has open feeders and lanterns for any of them.
I pray no more get harmed or killed from this type.🙏
The owner was absolutely devastated! It certainly would have been painful. These types of feeders are sold throughout North America. I contacted the retail chain here but they are marketed everywhere so check your local suppliers when you get a chance and let everyone know. Yes, they should be banned! Absolutely.
This just happened to one of my birds today. I am devastated. The nut from the bottom of the Squirrel Buster feeder must have gotten loose (I have raccoons and squirrels that try to get into it) and the bottom piece fell and decapitated a sparrow. I’m so heartbroken. I took both of those feeders down and am switching to regular ones and putting them on a pole with a baffle instead of hanging from a tree. And I will be contacting the manufacturer.
I am so sorry, Rana. Good for you for reaching out to the manufacturer I hope that you took photographs. You should demand your money back. I hate to see any animal killed and I have seen birds and squirrels get their heads stuck in the tube feeders. We have found that the tray feeders on the poles work best. Yes, the squirrels will get up there, but our raccoons have not been able to. Mind you I feed them in a different location! Thank you for letting me know. I will try and remember to advise our other readers to check those nuts and bolts if they use that type of feeder.