Originally Posted by
mammab
I have used Tabasco sauce diluted 1:10 with water spray plants. It is somewhat helpful, just have to reapply every few days or after a rain. Sometime ago I read a very inexpensive way to keep them from bird feeders. Not pretty, but inexpensive and the most effective I have found. I used an empty birdseed bag (40 lbs), opened a the bottom large enough to get over the pole between the bird feeder and the ground. Tie in place to create a hood on the pole. Squirrels crawl up the pole and end up inside the bag unable to reach the bird feeder. I have been using this all summer and have lost far less bird seed than normal. Unfortunately it does not work for grackles when they are around.
Interesting idea. These little critters jump down out of the trees onto the feeder then push the seed to the ground for their friends. We moved the feeder under a tree because the falcons were killing the doves when we had it out in the open. The doves eat mostly off the ground and supposedly the falcons cannot see them as well through the trees.