Brome Squirrel-proof Bird Feeder w/Cardinal Ring

Works amazingly, stops big birds and squirrels from eating the seeds

I’ve tried everything to prevent the squirrels from accessing my feeders. Nothing worked until this.
The first few days I spent hours at the window thoroughly entertained watching the squirrels try all kinds of ways to get the seed. You could practically see the confusion in their eyes as they looked up from the ground watching birds get seeds but unable to figure out why they couldn’t. A week later they finally gave up.
I also love how you can set it so larger birds can’t sit at it.
This thing is perfection. Well worth the money!

I’ve used vertical tube style bird feeders since 1970 and have always battled the squirrels who pig out on bird seed, scattering and wasting most of it. This is a thoughtfully designed, well-made, squirrel resistant bird feeder. It has 6 feeding ports, all on the same (bottom) level, rather than stacked vertically in 3 levels of 2 feeding ports each. I prefer the 6 ports on one level design to the stacked design because, as the seed level in the tube falls (as it is consumed by the birds) the top and middle level feeding ports become unusable when the seed level falls below the level of the upper ports. The only way to keep all 6 ports continuously operating is to continuously keep topping off the seed so the seed level remains above the level of the ports. With all the feeding ports on the same level, you only need to refill the tube when the seed level reaches the absolute bottom of the tube, so there’s less maintenance. The same manufacturer (Squirrel Buster) makes vertically stacked ports feeders also, probably to cater to “clinging” birds who prefer not to feed from a perch. If you predominately have clinging birds, then a stacked ports design may be preferable for you, but I think this all ports on bottom level would be best for the average user.

This feeder comes factory set to support the weight of about 6 sparrow sized birds (3 oz.) before the ports close. The spring tension on the closure is adjustable if you want to feed larger birds. Adjustment is extremely easy. The manufacturer recommends you keep the feeder a minimum of 18″ from any object a squirrel could use his back feet to hold onto, so the entire weight of the squirrel is on the feeder to activate the port closing mechanism. I ignored this recommendation on the first hanging and found my squirrels could hold onto a nearby (9″ distant) pole, upside down, and grab and shake small amounts of seed out of the feeder with their front legs, defeating the mechanism. When I moved the feeder out to 12″ away from the post, the squirrels couldn’t stretch enough to repeat that stunt. When a squirrel is forced to put his entire weight on the feeder, the ports close from the weight and the feeder literally is “squirrel proof.”

I like that the seed tube is ventilated so if moisture gets into the tube, it dries quickly and doesn’t allow mold to form on the seed. The whole feeder can be easily disassembled and cleaned in a dishwasher at intervals to reduce possibility of feeder transmitted bird diseases. I don’t worry a lot about bird diseases, but it’s nice that the manufacturer apparently does and has designed for it.

With a vertically stacked ports feeder, a squirrel can attach his back feet to the feeder hanger and, hanging upside down, can access seed from the upper ports. With all the ports on the bottom level, such as this design, it’s impossible for the squirrel to reach the ports at the bottom of the feeder. There are no anchor points on the tube (like upper port perches) that a squirrel can attach to. The manufacturer has added a couple overhanging roofs or eaves to further hinder a squirrel from reaching the ports. The lower overhanging roof helps keep snow out of the ports, which was evident during a recent snowstorm.

A certain amount of seed inevitably falls on the ground beneath the feeder. It seems to me that less seed falls to the ground from this feeder than others I’ve owned.

I like that the feeder comes with good user instructions and explanations of it’s design features so the user understands exactly how to use it. The manufacturer also has helpful YouTube videos that demonstrate how to assemble and disassemble the feeder for cleaning, and how to adjust for weight the spring closing mechanism. This is a very expensive bird feeder, however the squirrel proof design, ventilated seed tube to prevent mold and other features will prevent wasted seed, and over time the savings on wasted seed should more than offset the higher initial price of the feeder.

This thing is great. We’ve had ours for 2 years now & it’s working as it did when new. It has a huge seed capacity & appears to be built to last with premium materials & design. I hesitated getting it initially because of the “investment” required. But I have no regrets & highly recommend it. Note that we also inherited one of the original Squirrel Buster feeders from my parents. It has been in use for around 10 years & also still works great. With both I’ve never even seen a squirrel try to feed on them.

This is a well made product that is easy to work with, survives the harshest of weather conditions, and does the job perfectly of reserving the seed for birds. I do recommend also getting the Brome weather shield attachment that protects the perch and the feed-holes from droppings and unusual weather situations. We get loads of snow, and the shield does a great job of keeping the feed-hole accessible… well worth the money.