Tips To Protect Your Bird Feeder From Bears
- Take down your feeder when spring arrives If you live an area populated with bears, the state usually recommends completely taking down your bird feeder between the months of April and October. ...
- Affix your feeder to a tall metal pole ...
- Hang your feeder from trees ...
- Put a lot of cayenne pepper in the bird seed ...
How do I keep my bird feeder from being attacked by bears?
Affix your feeder to a tall metal pole If you're adamant on keeping your feeder up through spring and summer, a flimsy pole will not stop a bear from getting your feeder. Instead, attach your bird feeder to the top of a tall, thick metal pole. Bears will shake a pole to get the feeder to fly off or will simply climb it if it's too short.
How do I get rid of Bears in my yard?
Choose Alternative Foods. Bears are most attracted to suet and seed feeders, but will also sip at leaking nectar feeders or try feeders where fruit is offered. Instead of offering these treats to backyard birds, offer bitter-tasting safflower seed or Nyjer and plant natural foods instead of feeders.
What is the best bird feeder to keep bears away?
A sturdy, metal pole with the feeder 10-12 feet high is best to discourage bears, but the pole should be secure enough in the ground that it cannot be knocked over or easily uprooted.
How do you keep bears away from your barbecue?
The residue left behind can attract bears, particularly any meat drippings at the bottom. Keep your barbecue in a locked area if possible so bears can't get to it. Avoid leaving food outside near your home. If you have a meal outside, bring all the food back inside at the end of the night.
How to keep bears away from bird feeders?
How to get rid of bears in my feeder?
How to keep bears from climbing on a pole?
How tall can a bear get?
When to take down bear feeders?
Do bears taste better than humans?
Do bears eat birds?
See 2 more
How do you get bird feeders without attracting bears?
Spice Up the Seed: Adding liberal amounts of red pepper to a birdseed mix can discourage bears that don't like the hot flavor, though some bears may become used to the taste over time. Sprinkling pepper over the ground or using vinegar or ammonia on the ground around the feeder can also help deter sensitive bears.
How far away can a bear smell a bird feeder?
Another one had thistle seed and two others were suet feeders. These, said Timmins, are simply too high a quality of food (high in fat and protein) for bears to ignore. They can smell it more than a mile away.
Will a bear come back to a bird feeder?
Generally, it is not bird feeders which attract a bear to a backyard, but other things that have an attractive scent such as: BBQ grills, compost piles, fruit trees and pet food. A bear often stumbles upon a bird feeder while pursuing other food sources. But once a bear has found it, the bear will keep coming back.
Why are bears attracted to bird feeders?
Bird Feeders Can Become Bear Feeders Birdseed has lots of calories — over 18,000 in a typical 7-pound feeder. Hummingbird food does too: 32 ounces of nectar has 3,200 calories. So, bird feeders can be enticing sources of food for black bears. When bears are active, the best option is to remove bird feeders.
Does cayenne pepper keep bears away from bird feeders?
Put a lot of cayenne pepper in the bird seed Birds don't have taste buds and there are no negative effects on health, but mammals have taste buds, so crushed peppers make the bird seed spicy and undesirable to bears.
Does cayenne pepper keep bears away?
Don't spread cayenne pepper around your campsite- it will not deter bears! The only reason bear spray works is because it is a high concentration that gets right in their face. Spreading pepper around your tent is like seasoning it- an all-around bad idea.
Do bears like hummingbird food?
Bears find hummingbird feeders attractive as well, as a 32-ounce feeder contains around 775 calories. As an alternative, plant native flowers which are known to appeal to hummingbirds.
Do sunflower seeds attract bears?
Bears are very fond of suet and bird seed, especially black oil sunflower seeds. Bringing feeders in at night doesn't work, because bears will still feed on seed that is spilled on the ground. Bird feeders are just one of the things that can attract hungry bears.
Will bears mess with hummingbird feeders?
Bears are notorious for eating from all bird feeders, including hummingbird feeders. Bears have a highly keen sense of smell and may be attracted to your feeders from far away.
How do you keep bears away?
A bear's nose is 100 times more sensitive than a human's. If you find bleach or ammonia fumes unpleasant, you can imagine what they smell like to a bear. Bleach or ammonia- based cleaners are good for trash cans and other areas where strong scents could attract bears.
Do bears bother bird houses?
A Black bear (Ursus americanus) may destroy nestboxes, tearing them up or mangling them (claw marks are often visible), and consuming the contents of the box (eggs and young.)
Can bears smell sugar water?
Hummingbirds drink a red nectar, a sugar water mixture, out of specially designed feeders. The sweet sugar scent attracts many other animals and insects, such as ants, bees, bears, and raccoons.
How far away can a grizzly bear smell food?
20 miles awayA bear's sense of smell is so acute that they can detect animal carcases upwind and from a distance of 20 miles away. You should just assume that they can smell the food in your food bag too.
How far can a black bear smell?
Smell: A bear's strongest sense is smell. They can pick up a scent from over a mile away! That is more than seven times better than a bloodhound. Bears, as a Family, are considered to have the best sense of smell of any land mammal.
How strong is a bears sense of smell?
Bears are thought to have the best sense of smell of any animal on earth. For example, the average dog's sense of smell is 100 times better than a human's. A blood hound's is 300 times better. A bear's sense of smell is 7 times better than a blood hound's or 2,100 times better than a human's.
Can bears smell food?
Bears have an insatiable appetite and an amazing sense of smell, and they consider anything with a scent to be "food." This can include canned goods, bottles, drinks, soaps, cosmetics, toiletries, trash, ice chests, sunscreen, bug repellant, fuel, items used for preparing or eating meals, etc.
Don't use ammonia to deter bears ... - Free Online Library
Free Online Library: Don't use ammonia to deter bears ...(Country conversation & feedback, Letter to the editor) by "Countryside & Small Stock Journal"; Home and garden Consumer news, advice, product reviews Ammonia Bears
5 Ways to Get Rid of Raccoons at Deer Feeders - My Backyard Life
There are many people who love the idea of placing deer feeders on their properties. Some will do this just because they like being able to observe the deer prancing around their yards, but others will do so to keep the deer coming around for hunting purposes when the season is right.
How to keep bears out of bird feeders?
Clean Feeding Areas: Keep bird feeding areas clean by using a yard vacuum to remove spilled seed and hulls, use trays or mesh nets underneath feeders to catch seed, and clean the feeders regularly. Not only will this eliminate the food, but it will also minimize odors that could attract bears.
What happens if a bear doesn't leave a bird feeder?
When Bears Won’t Leave. If a bear becomes a regular guest at bird feeders, it will become dangerous to itself and to humans and pets. All bear sightings should be reported to the proper authorities, and multiple sightings may result in officials attempting to relocate the bear to a wilder, safer setting.
How high should a bear feeder be?
Mount Feeders Properly: Bears will climb poles to reach feeders or may push or lean on poles to knock feeders down. A sturdy, metal pole with the feeder 10-12 feet high is best to discourage bears, but the pole should be secure enough in the ground that it cannot be knocked over or easily uprooted.
What do bears eat?
Choose Alternative Foods: Bears are most attracted to suet and seed feed ers, but will also sip at leaking nectar feeders or try feeders where the fruit is offered. Instead of offering these treats to birds, offer bitter-tasting safflower seed or Nyjer and plant natural foods instead of feeders. While bears will still investigate many natural sources, especially fruit on berry bushes or fruit trees, they are less likely to linger if feeders aren’t available.
When to remove bear feeders?
Remove Feeders: If bears are a consistent problem, it may be best to remove feeders entirely during the spring and summer (from mid-April to late October, though dates vary based on local bear activity). Birds, of course, will find plenty of ...
What happens if a bear's feeder is broken?
Sharp parts from a broken feeder can injure a bear’s mouth, paws, and eyes, possibly leading to infections, disabilities, and other difficulties.
How tall should a fence be for bears?
Keep Fences in Good Repair: If your property has fences, make them more bear-resistant. Strong metal fences at least six feet tall are best for deterring bears, and gates should be kept securely closed at all times.
How to keep bears from getting into bird feeders?
Instead, attach your bird feeder to the top of a tall, thick metal pole. Bears will shake a pole to get the feeder to fly off or will simply climb it if it's too short. To prevent this from happening, the pole should be about 10 feet tall and go several feet into the ground for added stability . It should also be at least 3 inches in diameter.
How to keep bears out of feeders?
Another alternative to keeping your feeder indoors is to hang it from the trees. Make sure it's at least 10 feet off the ground, so bears can't reach it by standing up. In order to make it inaccessible, it should be suspended in between two trees and could possibly be controlled through a pulley system. Bears will easily climb trunks and limbs for food, so make sure it's a good distance away from them. Attach the feeder securely to the rope, because there are many stories of bears shaking the ropes vigorously to make it fall down.
What is the most alarming bird feeder?
One of the most alarming and persistent visitors to bird feeders is the black bear, who is usually seeking food after a long winter hibernation. While there are easy solutions for preventing squirrels and cats from getting to bird feeders, bears are much more challenging.
How tall should a bear feeder pole be?
Bears will shake a pole to get the feeder to fly off or will simply climb it if it's too short. To prevent this from happening, the pole should be about 10 feet tall and go several feet into the ground for added stability. It should also be at least 3 inches in diameter.
What are the threats to bird feeders?
Written by Timothy Martinez Jr. With their persistent strength and keen smell, bears are a major menace to bird feeders. Here are some helpful tips for keeping bears away from your feeder.
When do bears leave their dens?
April is when bears are going to be leaving their dens hungry and searching for the easiest source of food. Since bears have an excellent sense of smell, they are usually drawn to bird feeders and have been known to knock them down. No type of feeder is safe from bears either.
Do birds have taste buds?
Birds don't have taste buds and there are no negative effects on health, but mammals have taste buds, so crushed peppers make the bird seed spicy and undesirable to bears. A hefty amount should be mixed into the food for best results.
How to store food for bears?
Store food in bear-proof containers. Choose containers specifically made for camping with bears to store your food. These containers are sturdy enough to keep bears out, and you can find them at camping and sporting good stores. They also mask scents so you're less likely to attract bears. Alternatively, use airtight containers to hide the scent of the food.
How to keep bears away from camp?
Take your food trash away from your camp before bed. When camping in a campground with others, take your trash to the campground's main trash before turning in for the night. That way, a bear will be less likely to visit your camp.
How far can you spray a bear?
To use the spray, release the safety and press down on the nozzle. Spray when the bear is about 30 to 60 feet (9.1 to 18.3 m) away. You can even spray it in the bear's face if it gets close.
How far can you spray pepper spray?
Bear spray is a type of pepper spray that sprays farther than an average can. Typically, it can spray up to 30 feet (9.1 m). If a bear is coming at you, spray a cloud of pepper spray between you and the bear. [26]
How to keep bears out of garbage?
Bears are attracted to food smells, so they will want to dig through your garbage. A bear-proof trash can uses a locking lid to keep bears out of it. They're also sturdier than other trash cans.
How to get rid of bears in a campground?
That way, a bear will be less likely to visit your camp. Strain the food out of your dishwater before disposing of the water.
What to do if you see a bear in bear country?
Learn more... If you live, work, or play in bear country, it's important to keep yourself safe. Strongly scented items, such as food or garbage, should be kept away from your campsite, vehicle, and home. However, if you do meet a bear, don't panic; keep yourself safe by vacating the area if you see a bear.
How to attract bears to your yard?
Some natural, bear-safe ways to attract birds to your yard are bird baths and colorful native gardens. When bears emerge from their dens in early spring, natural foods are lacking. Bird seed presents an abundant and easily obtained food source.
Why are bears attracted to bird feeders?
Bears and Bird Feeders. Bears (and other wildlife) are readily attracted to back yards because of the presence of bird feeders. Bear nuisance complaint records reveal that at certain times of the year, bird feeders are involved in over 80% of the bear problems around homes.
How many calories do bears eat a day?
Such activities are not in the best interest of the bears or the homeowners. Did you know: A black bear must consume up to. 15,000-20,000 calories per day.
When can you resume bird feeding in bear country?
DEC highly recommends that bird feeding activities cease by April 1 and resume November 30 if you live in bear country.
Why are bears more likely to be hit by cars?
Bears foraging in developed areas are significantly more likely to be hit by cars or shot illegally by people who mistakenly perceive a threat to their own safety.
What happens if you take away the food from a bear?
As is the case with almost all human-bear conflicts, if you take away the food you will take away the bear. Black bears, like all wildlife, are best appreciated at a distance.
Is bird seed good for you?
Bird seed is an easy source of calories. In many cases, bird seed is the food of choice and will be sought out over other natural foods. Bird seed, even in small quantities, is high in protein and fat. It takes less effort to obtain calories from a bird feeder than to forage for natural foods .
How to keep bears away from bird feeders?
To keep bears away from bird feeders, you have to take steps to make sure bird food doesn’t accumulate on the ground. You can have the best bear-proof pole in the world, but if the birds are spilling all the seed to the ground, bears will still be frequent visitors in your backyard. While it’s true that they won’t be causing damage to the feeders, ...
How to get rid of bears in my feeder?
An easy way to solve a bear problem is to bring your bird feeders inside each evening. Assuming that your bird food and feeders are in a secure location, the bears won’t have anything to eat, except maybe for a little seed that fell on the ground. The only drawback to this strategy is that it’s labor-intensive.
How to keep bears from climbing on a pole?
The more secure the pole, the happier you will be long term. If you use a long wooden post or 4×4, you should wrap it with a stovepipe or some other slippery metal, to prevent the bears from climbing the actual pole. Make sure you select a long pole.
How tall can a bear get?
For reference, here is how tall bears can reach, on average. Black bears ( Ursus americanus ): 5 – 7 feet. Brown/Grizzly bears ( Ursus arctos ): Up to 9 feet.
When to take down bear feeders?
It may be necessary to take down your feeders for a while. I know certain feeding enthusiasts don’t feed the birds from around April through October, which is when bears are most active. Once bears have started their long winter’s rest, then it’s OK to bring the feeders back out.
Do bears taste better than humans?
Birds are not affected. And in case you forgot, bears are mammals. In addition, a bear’s sense of smell and taste is MUCH better than a human. I’ve never been able to ask a bear what eating hot chili peppers tastes like, but my guess is that the effects are compounded even more than what humans feel.
Do bears eat birds?
Unfortunately, bears eat almost anything. They are omnivores and don’t discriminate much in their diet. Out of all the typical foods used in bird feeders, there are only a few I could think of that a bear shouldn’t mess with.
