Squirrel Buster Mini seed feeder

3.8723404255 out of 5

47

I recently bought this feeder as the local squirrels (and crafty magpies) were emptying my non-squirrel-proof feeder nearly every day and had taken to being so forceful that it would often drop to the floor, the top would come off and seed would go everywhere!

I've had this feeder for about a week now and it's working really well. Reading over previous reviews about birds learning by sight, I put it up with the (empty of seeds) old feeder and within a day, all the birds had come to feed and now they are all dropping in regularly. I took away the old feeder two days ago and they are still coming. The squirrels appear to have already started to give up trying. Pigeons and magpies now make do with whatever the smaller birds have allowed to drop on the floor.

So far feeding from it I have had a coal tit, blue tit, great tit, house sparrows and goldfinches. I have 11 house sparrows that live in a bush in the garden and they seem the most wary of the new feeder, but they do use it from time to time (and they're happily eating away from other types of feeder in the garden). The blue tits actually come more regularly than with the old feeder.

My only niggly complaint is that it hangs very low due to the length of the hook (I'm presuming this is needed for the design to work), so it took a while to work out where to hang it on my feeding poll to stop squirrels using the little tray or a branch to get around the weight mechanism.

I have had my SB for a number of years and it has worked very well. I clean the lower tray with a garden label and a toothbrush when caked, and if the birdfood gets clogged where it falls into the tray, I use a curved wire hook from a coathanger. Recently the spring action became poor and the feeder failed to re-open as the spring was rusty. I was going to order a replacement SB straight away, but I found I could boost the spring action by putting about 4 cm plastic tube underneath it, and that has worked. Apart from the spring, a weak point in our wet climate, I think the SB has lasted well for quite a number of years and proved good at attracting a wide range of birds including bullfinches and lesser spotted woodpeckers from time to time.

We have a peanut feeder in the same design which works well. Unfortunately this one does not. No squirrels but 4 starlings can empty it in 20 minutes. Most of the food ends up on the floor. I started gathering it up onto a sheet and it would refill the feeder. Tried taping up 2 holes and reducing the size of the holes but the birds just flapped around and shook the feed out. Have abandoned it after 5 days.

Bought this to hang on an existing bracket which hung the feeder 25 cms from a fence. Our resident crafty squirrel just climbed down the fence put his front feet on the metal bars with back feet on the vertical fence and fed until he was full. It needs a bracket or hanger that keeps it at least 40 cms from another surface.

The hanging hook is tarnishing/corroding in less than2 months. The seed feeding holes get soaked in rain & then seeds clog. The drainage holes are too small & quickly get blocked up with bird use- then bottom gets filled up with water in rain & have to empty the lot out,clean & refill anew. Otherwise it would be good idea for blocking squirrels - if it lasts well, as I've only had it a month or so.

This is an excellent feeder and certainly prevents squirrels stealing the sunflower hearts, however there is one problem...When it rains, the food in the tray gets wet which then soaks up and causes a blockage in the hopper, preventing the rest of the seed from falling. Eventually, birds eat all of the food in the tray which then remains empty causing the birds to go elsewhere.

After several years it continues to defeat my squirrel population so it does work well. The problem is that it's very hard to clean thoroughly; if you do want to clean all of it, you have to dismantle it with a screwdriver, and repeating this from time to time - probably not as often as I should - has lead to the failure of some of its components which I deduce were never intended to be dismantled so often, if ever. Needs a bit more design development on the cleaning side.

I have had one of these for about two years. Its the most popular of my feeders. I am amazed at how many cluster around it. Some like to use the mesh grip sooner than the perch. I use sunflower hearts or no mess sunflower mix. I even have male blackbirds who have worked out how to use it!
I have it in a tree and a squirrel hung like a bat and devoured! My answer to him was to put it further along the branch and make it more unstable for him. Hes tried, but unsuccessfully.
I want to replace another, instead of the tube in a cage as now, as I want the blacbirds to access this one too.
Unless I wear my glasses, I cant get the hook into the hole when refilling. I sorted this by hanging the entire thing by a shoe lace which slips into the triangular gap end. Much easier to refill on the garden seat and hang back up than try to fit the hook in up a tree. I thought the scribbles would soon chew it and have it on the floor but that simple edit has bypassed them. :-)

Intelligent design but not long lasting. I bought two about eighteen months ago and the spring has gone on both. I hung one on an RSPB pole but one squirrel evolved a way of hanging on to the top of the pole with its back legs and lifting the feeder towards itself with its front legs in a way that didn't activate the spring. Why don'tyou employ squirrels as designers- they are much cleverer than us!

RSPB response: Thank you for your review, if only we could use squirrels as designers although I have a feeling they wouldn't want to create squirrel resistant products! On a more serious note we will contact you directly to help with the fault in the squirrel busters you have bought as both going in 18months is not usual.

I've used a mini for a couple of years. Although the squirrels were inventive and persistent, they couldn't ever access the seeds. However, the pigeons learned to cling and hover, thus by-passing the spring mechanism, and helped themselves frequently to seeds. After 2 years, which is the guarantee period, the spring mechanism was not working properly anymore, but you can apparently get spares.

bought one and it worked so well I bought another for another spot in the garden, it seems to have stopped the squirrels visiting, but jackdaws have discovered that they can land on it while scooping seed out with their beak before the thing closes, if they are quick enough, so a full one will last two days before jackdaws have emptied it. We also have a couple of wood pigeons who wait patiently for blue tits to feed them by chucking seed out from the feeder, I'm not sure what benefit there is to the tits, but it really looks like they are deliberately feeding the pigeons.

... the squirrels can't get at the feed, but the green parakeets can! They perch or stick their beaks in while flapping like hummingbirds to stay airborne. So the little birds are still losing out.

Unfortunately my squirrels tend to wrestle to the ground this feeder, then attack it. I have attached it firmly to a tree branch but nothing deters them. I am having to buy a new one as they have damaged it so it does not easily slide up and down.

RSPB response: Thank you for your review, I'm sorry that you are still having problems with squirrels after buying the Squirrel Buster Mini. We can't guarantee that all squirrels will be deterred but the mechanism should slide easily when a squirrel lands on it. If you feel you have a faulty product please contact customer services who will be happy to help.

It took the squirrels less than a day to chew through the wire mesh, bend it and disable the spring mechanism allowing them to empty the contents very quickly. The RSPB very kindly sent me a replacement but this faired no better and was damaged by the squirrels and emptied in two days of first use. I have written to the manufacture recommending a design re-think. I have however managed to repair them myself by soldering a protective strip of brass around the inside of the bottom of the outer casing, and so far, (after a few weeks) this seems to be working, although on one, the casing is reluctant to rise up again. The idea for this feeder is brilliant, it is just not well built enough to stand up to North London squirrels. Sorry for the negativity.

RSPB response: Thank you for your review. Sorry that the Squirrel Buster Mini did not live up to expectations, we have not heard of this complaint before regarding the design and we will work closely with our supplier to improve it.

bought this feeder after trying lots of others which had all failed to keep determined squirrels out, it works really well, squirrels soon get fed up landing on perch and movement making them jump off again, they still feed off seed left on ground so occasionally have a foray into garden but not so often, great idea and so simple and affective

It deters squirrels and parakeets! I have been enjoying watching a parakeet completely baffled by this feeder . After several tries it flew off, came back and failed again. But goldfinches love this feeder. It is also easier to fill and clean than its predecessor. An excellent product.

I like this feeder, easy to fill and clean and protects seed from rain. Popular with tits and I've not had the pigeons or parakeets work it out.
However the squirrels are having a laugh! They overcome the baffles on the pole or hurl themselves about 6 or 7 feet to the top of the pole. They then hang upside down and lean into the feeder and just guzzle away. I guess their weight is minimal, they just need to draw the feeder towards them with a front paw.
If I move the whole pole further away from shrubs I'm afraid the birds won't follow?

RSPB response: Thank you for your review. Being weight activated, these feeders are only effective if the squirrels cannot reach them from nearby structures. It may be worth reviewing the position of the feeding station, the birds should follow, although it may take them a short amount of time to get used to the new position.

Works admirably as described.

Very popular with small birds and tantalising for the squirrels who have made many many unsuccessful attempts - they tend to jump off when the spring mechanism is put into play and stand at the bottom looking upwards, somewhat confused...

To be honest I welcome the squirrels' antics, and their payment in the minimal amount of fallen seed seems entirely acceptable.

Highly Recommended...!!!

I had a normal 4 perch seed feeder with a squirrel dome (v healthy grey squirrel population in our area). Main problem was the feral pigeons that were attracted by the dropped seed on the ground from the goldfinches. Wasn't long before the pigeons learned to feed directly from the old feeder. Tried all kinds of pigeon deterrents that didn't really work but tried this feeder which prevents them from getting the seed they gave up in a matter of days!. Also I have removed the squirrel dome and the squirrels have also learned they can't get anything out of it - very happy thankyou.

Great design, has not had a squirrel on it in the 6 months or so since it's been up. Because of the trees I have surrounding the garden, it is squirrel heaven. But since using this with a tree hook and a domed baffle on top, they've been foxed!
Best of all is now I also have a Nuthatch using the feeder as it can perch inverted due to the mesh on the outside. Using the Feeder Mix Extra(R401758), has also helped encourage the Nuthatch as it seems to like the Red Millet seeds that collect in the bottom of the tray that the other birds seemingly don't eat.

This works a treat! Had one for about two years now and only once have I seen a squirrel get some seeds from it. They are used to it now and don't even bother trying! The one time, a particularly clever chap stretched across with his back feet on the bracket where the feeder is attached and his front feet on the bars at the bottom of the feeder and managed to grab a few handfuls. I felt he deserved some seeds after making such a clever approach.

Anyway, I am buying a second one to hang in a different area of the garden as this one gets too busy with all the tits and finches - sometimes as many as six on it at a time!

The Squirrels have used their weight to bust the spring in side the feeder meaning that it now doesn't spring back after a squirrel attempts to get in it. Apart from that the finches especially like it along with our woodpeckers and nuthatches.

At first the squirrels were completely foxed by it. Then they found that they could shin up the feeder pole and sit on top of the feeder and reach down to get the seed. I now need to get a baffle for the feeder pole.

As a non squirrel proof feeder I like the design. It holds just about the right amount of food and keeps it dry. The perches at the bottom are ideal for little birds.

I thought readers would also be interested to know that the magpies have devised a way of getting food from a feeder. They fly at it so that it moves causing some seed to fall on the ground which they can then eat.

We love watching squirrels being foiled by this feeder. Every time it pops closed when the squirrel tries to get on we burst out laughing. You can see the embarrassed face on the creature! MWAH HAH HAH HAH HA!!!! However, this feeder needs to be sited away from a fence as the squirrel can then grip onto the fence and it will not close due to the squirrel not putting its weight on it and closing it.

It has completely flummoxed the squirrels, so in that sense 100% satisfaction. Unfortunately the parakeets love it, so they still keep the small birds away. The weight is not adjustable. I'm told the non-mini version is the one I should have got (sigh). I have hung some weights from the perches, which works quite well, but the parakeets are now spending all their efforts to untie the string holding the weights - so the small birds are still blocked out.

Obviously this was bought as an anti-squirrel feeder but the nuthatch loves it as he/she can feed upside easily. Great to watch.

I've bought two of these now and they're as good as it gets. So long as you place the feeder far away enough from a launch pad and out of reach to avoid the 'grab & shake' trick.

I love this feeder and the squirrels hate it !! They have completely given up trying to get at it and the birds empty it almost every day. Before refilling, I empty any seeds left in the tray onto the ground so the pigeons and other ground feeding birds can polish them up, this way there is no clogging of the tray at all. The blackbirds hang on it to get at the seeds and when they manage to tip some out by flapping their wings, they fly down to the ground and have a feast ! I would certainly recommend it and will no doubt be buying another one in the near future.

Came here today to buy my third! I didn't mind squirrels and pigeons having a meal, but then I got rats as well, and tried MANY measures to thwart them before finding this solution.

Hanging the feeders correctly is important, and that means I can't use the mesh bowl on my bird feeder as it simply acts as a platform for the clever critters to stand on. Also, I twist a freezer bag closing wire around the loop at the top of the feeder and the bar the feeders hang off to prevent the whole thing being thrown onto the ground.

The only slight drawback is that the seeds in the bottom tray do get wet, so I run my fingers through the seeds daily to make sure they don't clump together and sprout. Excellent product, and the only one I've brought (out of many) that works!

Well, JAL and Lowlife are ingenious RSPB members. Thanks for that info. I've screwed onto one of our eaves a length of wood (61x4x2cm) straight out with a screwed in hook to hang my buster from. Approximately 45cm is clear of the eaves. So far this has worked. We live near a wood so have lots of squirrels (and Wood Pigeons). As JAL said the metal trough is a tad difficult to clean but not impossible. I shall be thinking through the plastic modifications suggested by 'Lowlife' , they sound OK.

Only found it on the floor once. The birds love it and the squirrels don't!

I've had the squirrel buster for 18 months now and generally it has defeated the squirrels and magpies. The squirrels kept at it for weeks and I found it was necessary to suspend the feeder from a fairly long length of wire to bring it below the level of a squirrel hanging by it's tail. Once though, I found the seed container on the ground, but with the suspension rod and tube still hanging. Somehow they had managed to unhook it!
The problem is that it is very difficult to clean. The deep seed 'trough' at the bottom collects the small, seemingly unwanted seeds which quickly clog together and no doubt start to rot when wetted by the rain. The only way I have found to clean this thoroughly is to undo two philips headed screws to detach the 'trough' and to scrub around it with an old tooth brush; it's a pain and time consuming, and I worry I don't do this as often as I should. Far from ideal.
Oh yes, and spots of rust are appearing through the paint finish.

Squirrels really can't get the seeds from this bird feeder. The birds took to it immediately and prefer it to the cage type of feeder. My only gripe is that it doesn't hold that many nuts so I wished I'd bought the larger version.

firstly with regards to siting this it doesn't need to be 2m from everything. It just needs to be out of squirrel reach from the side, if squirrels don't put all or enough weight on it to activate the mechanism then they can still feed. It's designed to overcome this in terms of drop length, but you have to site it properly. It defeats squirrels woohoo.

I did end up making some modifications to it as although some birds were happy using it, they do have to put their heads into the feeder which some find off-putting. Tits, robins and greenfinches were ok, but sparrows and other finches continued to leave without feeding. There were two slight problems i could see, using a mixed seed mix those happy feeding would take their favourites and then leave any wheat or millets until i removed them. The birds were reluctant to remove unwanted seeds as i think the internal position required them to waste energy picking them out to drop them rather than just shoveling out on some port feeders. The deep seed tray also halted the through fall of seed adding to the problem. I simply added a piece of plastic that fitted inside the tray, packing out the seed tray and making it easier for the seeds to move across from their drop position. You could do this with a drill and some scissors if youi feel it necessary, others here some ok with theirs. The other problem seemed to be that the perches were a bit low, this can be remedied by taking them off, hammering an angle into the perches which raises them 1cm. Post modifications all small birds are at home on it now. Good sturdy product.

I have spent so much money on squirrel busting measures – from expensive guardian feeders to squirrel bafflers. Although the guardian feeders work well it's sometimes difficult to see which birds I have visiting so I really wanted a feeder that didn't have a cage around it.

This is such an excellent product. Such a simple idea but works perfectly! When I first put it out I had the inquisitive squirrels give it a once over but once they realised there was no way they could get to the food they gave up.

I know it's a little more expensive than your regularly feeders but in my opinion it's worth every penny. It's a surefire winner. The design is great, good perches for the birds and a mesh type design on the side which is great for climbers.

I am about to buy my third Squirrel buster. I have had one for over two years and another for a few months. I have bought one for a friend and recommended it to others. My friend could not get small birds to feed in her garden because of squirrels and large birds taking the food. This Squirrel buster did the trick and now she is delighted with the variety of small birds she gets in her garden. I have several squirrels, magpies and pigeons in my garden but this feeder has defeated them. If you hang the Squirrel buster near the end of a branch so squirrels cannot get leverage they give up even trying to get seed from the Squirrel buster. It defeats large birds too as if they land on the perches the portholes close. Can be tricky to fill with seed and hang at first, but I find it straightforward now.

This is such a great product I am buying another today. I live in a top floor flat overlooking a woodland full of birds. Previously all my efforts to feed birds were thwarted by cunning squirrels. This one has virtually defeated the rodents while attracting all manner of small and medium sized birds. A pigeon regularly visits to clear up the bird seed dropped by the feeders. Truly delighted - but am spending a fortune on seed now! The pleasure of seeing birds all through the hours of daylight more than makes up for that!

The Birds are absoulte love it and Robins really enjoy it. My birds took them to realise how to use it. Getting now others birds to come on it. Chiffinch sitting on it Now. Amazing. Tend to still have pigeon getting on it but might been my bird feeder that it hanging on.

I bought this particular feeder because we have a very naughty squirrel who likes to take all of the bird food. The squirrel has tried to access the food but without success for the past two weeks. The great tits and robins have been feeding from this as it is full of sunflower seeds. Slightly expensive for a birdfeeder but a really good design. Just make sure you follow the instructions.

I am afraid to say that this feeder was a complete waste of time and money. The local furry bunch took about 10 minutes to work out how to munch their way through the contents of the feeder. The only way it can work is to suspend it from a very long line with no neighbouring branches etc, otherwise save your money !

This is brilliant. it does exactly what it says on the box. It's very easy to refill, and it really does reduce squirrel seed-stealing. We keep an ordinary feeder as well, out of kindness not only to squirrels, but to those birds which can't get a foothold on this feeder. Very well pleased indeed. thanks!

This bird feeder seemed to be doing the trick until we recently noticed the food disappearing awfully quickly. Witnessed this morning: somehow a large squirrel has worked out how it can hang on the feeder and still get the bird seed out. So am going to get the anti - squirrel dome to see if it can deter them once and for all.

found this to be an excellent product,certainly keeps the squirrels away.It attracts goldfinches,greenfinches,robins,dunnocks,and a special favourite of mine,a pair of bullfinches.my only minor grumble is that it can be a bit fiddly to refill,but i would definitely recommend it. I also have its bigger brother at the bottom of the garden,and although a lot pricier has saved me a fortune in seed that was going to the squirrels.Excellent design as well.

This feeder has fulfilled it's promise to keep Squirrels out, about which I am delighted. Also since having this in the garden we have had Bullfinches and Greenfinches for the first time, as well as the Goldfinches finding it easy to perch for a long time whilst having a good long feed. Robins and Sparrows and Blue/Great/Tits have also had no problems with it. We have no Starlings near us thank goodness! The feeder keeps food reasonably dry and due to the central dividers it is possible to have Niger Seed down one section and Sunflower Seed down the other - putting the Niger Seed in last- so I have been very pleased with this feeder compared with others I have tried. Elaine, Birmingham

This feeder has worked well in our garden. A squirrel tried hard to get food from it but could not. Only small birds such as robins and great tits have tried it, but some robins seem to visit it every few minutes. No seed has fallen on the ground and two birds can feed on it at the same time. It is very popular in our garden and birds seem to use it more than the more conventional feeder we also have.

We bought this feeder as squirrels are a pest here,and we had a bigger one that we had purchased in Canada,which is brillant. This feeder is fiddly for cleaning and refilling,already one of the perches has fallen of and the birds are not too keen on it either. Value for money it is expensive,and I think that I will wait until I visit Canada and get a replacement .

I was very disappointed with this product, it may well keep squirrels off but I have found it very wasteful on bird food. Within about two hours of putting the feeder out a saw a starling on it and he was literally emptying the feeder of the 'no-mess mix' I had put out, the food was just cascading down onto the ground. Maybe if smaller birds went on it it wouldn't be a problem but it's impossible to bar larger birds from the garden. I'm not sure whether its a design problem but have now taken the feeder indoors before it costs me a fortune.