Part of the joy of having a garden is watching the wildlife that comes to call. Bird feeders are a great way to attract birds to a specific spot and supplement the native foods and habitat in your yard.
For those of us that have plenty of squirrels in the yard, it can be frustrating to see them empty the feeders just about as quickly as you can fill them. Some bird feeders have built-in features to prevent squirrels from reaching the seed.
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Review of Squirrel Stopper System Bird Feeder Pole
This 8-foot tall pole of the Squirrel Stopper System holds up to 8 feeders from hooks that hang off of the arms. The pole is made of steel and screws into the ground with an auger at the base. The parts that are painted are rust-proof.
PROS
- It’s very sturdy
- It looks nice
- It can hold multiple feeders
- It’s easy to install
- The squirrel baffle actually works!
CONS
- It’s a bit expensive
- The hole at the base does rust
- It’s a little tall
How it Works
The squirrel baffle is spring-loaded. As a squirrel attempts to climb the pole, the baffle drops down and rocks from side-to-side causing the squirrel to slide. There isn’t anything for the squirrel to grab on to, particularly as the baffle increases in width on the way up. I have not seen a single squirrel on this bird feeder pole in three years, and we have a very large population of squirrels.
Additional Comments and Notes
While the feeders are very far from the ground (the pole is 8 feet tall, which ends up being about six and a half feet once sunk in the ground, I don’t usually require a ladder to reach the feeders. I am able to grab them by the base to get them off of their hooks. For others, a ladder might be required.
Although this feeder is within a few feet of the roof, squirrels don’t use that to access it (yet!). I would recommend that you don’t put it too close to a tree or other object that a squirrel could use to jump onto the top from. This would allow them to avoid the baffle entirely.
There is one little hummingbird that will perch on the bird figure that is on top of the pole. He uses that as a lookout to chase other hummingbirds away from the feeders.
I will be spraying some rustoleum paint in the hole that is rusting to try and prevent further damage. However, I have had this pole for three years now and it is still holding up well.
2015 NOTE: I’ve moved to a new location and took the pole with me. It was easy to unscrew and rescrew into the soil at my new place. You use one of the cross poles at the top (from which the feeders hang) to place in the hole in the pole to use as leverage to turn the auger into the soil. Easy peasy! At first I had it too close to a large tree in my yard and the squirrels were doing a flying leap to access it. I moved it another two feet from the tree and the squirrels have been stopped! I just have to say that I LOVE this bird feeder pole.
2018 NOTE: I’m noticing more rusting around the base of the pole and around the hole where you insert the arms of the feeder when tightening it into the soil. After 7 years of use and moving it to two locations, I would say that the wear and tear on the pole is still pretty good. I’m going to seal the rust spots with more Rustoleum paint and try to keep the pole intact for a few more years.
There are affiliate links on this page. I did not get paid to review this bird feeder pole. I bought it and loved it and then signed up for the affiliate program afterwards. My review of this pole is based on my own experience. Please read my disclosure page.
