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Are Pesky Squirrels Stealing All Your Bird Food? This Simple ‘5-7-9’ Rule Will Protect Your Feeders

Squirrels can be challenging to deal with, but this expert's advice turns out to be fail-proof without harming any creatures.

BY TIYASA BISWAS

PUBLISHED 4 HOURS AGO

Mother and daughter hanging a birdhouse they made on a tree in back yard. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | hobo_018)

Squirrels have a beneficial presence in gardens but often prove to be a nuisance for bird feeders and homeowners. These pesky rodents can climb up trees and towers, make massive leaps, and jump down from high above the ground. When squirrels spot loaded bird feeders, they turn into an indomitable spirit determined to chomp on the feed. This is partly because bird feeders are an easy source of food for these critters. Experts at House Digest have brewed a formula that helps bird feeders and homeowners outsmart squirrels and protect their bird seed using the "5-7-9 rule."

Close-up of squirrel eating food. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Paul Hayden / 500px)

What is the '5-7-9' rule?

A squirrel jumping from one branch to another. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Westend61)

The enigmatic set of numbers indicates the distances a bird feeder should be placed to prevent access from squirrels. Due to their jumping finesse, squirrels can reach bird feeders and other food sources by leaping 5 feet horizontally. Therefore, pushing the feeder further away than 5 feet from tree branches, buildings, or fences will restrict them from using the bird feeder as their launchpad and protect the seeds. Many might not be aware of the true agility squirrels possess. According to Georgia Wildlife, they can run at speeds up to 14 miles per hour and climb up a tree at 12 miles per hour.

Hut-shaped insect hotel dangling from a tree branch (Representative Image Source: Freepik)

The 7 indicates that squirrels may conquer heights as tall as 7 feet by simply leaping vertically. To put it into perspective, this is equivalent to a human leaping from the ground to the top of a five-storey building. A bird feeder hung at a height lower than 7 feet is an easy target for these critters. Expert advice would be to suspend the feeders at a higher elevation from the ground, thus keeping the squirrels in check. Finally, the last segment of the rule stands for 9 feet below any structures hanging above the feeder. Squirrels can endure aerial maneuvers to the ground of up to 9 feet. Hence, any branches, roofs, or overhanging assembly could help squirrels drop in and exhaust the bird seeds.

Plant your feeder too close or too far away from home

A squirrel-proof bird feeder hangs from a tree in someone's garden. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Ajax9)

While the 5-7-9 rule is a potential strategy to trick the little masterminds and steer them away from bird feeders, there are two more options to deter the pests. Contrary to the 5-feet rule, experts suggest placing a bird feeder at a 3-feet distance from a window will make it difficult for squirrels to gain the momentum for a huge leap. Simultaneously, this close distance to the window would slow down birds and prevent window crashes– a recurring problem in many homes. According to an All About Birds report, glass windows create an illusion of foliage and sky, inviting birds to fly into and crash.

Secondly, hanging your bird feeder somewhere far away from the house, about 30 feet away in an open space, while maintaining the 5-7-9 rule, will allow birds more room to access the feeders sans risk. While squirrels will only dream of the seed inside the bird feeders. As per expert advice, these handful of measures are useful to maintain your bird feeder and protect your seed from these pesky creatures. Experts from the Forest Preserve District of Will County (@WillCoForests) also chimed in with a few tips to keep squirrels off feeders.