Leaving out food for our backyard birds can also attract a bevy of other hungry wildlife to the yard. We’ve talked about deer, bears, raccoons and squirrels, so who else might be problematic? I’ll give you a hint. These furry little critters are excellent at chewing, can squeeze through very tiny holes, and reproduce like wildfire. Yep you guessed it, the rodents. Mice and rats. Let’s take a look at how to keep rats away from bird feeders, as well as mice, and the problems they cause at feeders.
Why are mice and rats bad to have at your bird feeders?
- They can empty your feeders in a day
- They can carry diseases
- If they think your yard is a great food source, they will want to stay close by and will try and get into your house
- They can get into your birdhouses, and rats will potentially eat bird eggs
- They can attract feral cats and hawks to your yard, which can also be bad for your songbirds
Did I mention they will try and get into your house?
Eek!
When looking for shelter, warmth and good places to nest and have young, mice and rats will look for any opportunity. Your garden shed, garage, A/C unit, basement and home will all be targets. Mice can fit through holes the size of a dime and rats the size of a quarter (approximately), so it can be very tricky to find and seal every nook and cranny.
Let’s look at methods you can use to cut down the probability of mice and rats making your bird feeders their personal kitchen.
How to Keep Rats Away From Bird Feeders
1. Keep the ground clean
Mice and rats most often will be initially attracted to the area by coming across spilt seeds underneath your feeder. Birds can be picky eaters. I’m sure you’ve seen them rummaging through your seed selection, tossing seeds aside, looking for the ones they like the most. Or just downright being messy eaters. Collections of shells and spilt seeds can look like a buffet to rodents. Keeping this under-feeder area clean is key. You can periodically sweep up the excess. Or try one of these methods
- No Waste Mixes: These mixes use seeds with shells removed and sometimes fruit and nut pieces. A higher per