topic Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder. in Community Chat

How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

TaxyLady — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 14:14:00 GMT

I love my bird feeder and buy really good food for the birds. Lately the blackbirds have taken over. I get starlings and cowbirds too. They are scaring the little birds and come in droves of hundreds. Does anyone know what seed they don't like? It has taken the pleasure of bird watching away not to mention the large quantities of food they consume.

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

ValuSkr — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 14:25:37 GMT

I would stop feeding them for a while - maybe they'll move on and when you start up again, they'll be elsewhere.

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

Keeper of the koi — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 14:51:25 GMT

@TaxyLady, I see your blackbirds and raise you all my pigeons . I have all these beautiful cardinals , Bluejays ,juncos and a million pigeons !Guess they have to eat too....sigh..Maryanne

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

Junebug54 — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 14:55:38 GMT

Bird feeders are very much discouraged in our area. They also attract other unwanted creatures such as squirrels, skunks, bears, etc. Also not good to get wildlife dependent on humans. Bird feeders in my condo complex have been ordered down.

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

CareBears — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 14:59:54 GMT

I have a bird feeder and a squirrel feeder, about a week ago I saw a Hawk hanging around, so I have stopped feeding them hoping that the Hawk gets discouraged and moves on to somewhere else?

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

Keeper of the koi — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 15:07:33 GMT

@CareBears, I get hawks once in a while, i live in the country with neighbors not close so you might not want to do this, i bang on a pot when they get close after a few times they leave. They seem to dive into the low shrubs as well chasing little birds. Hawks are not my favorites because of my koiponds, but my pondkids are over 20 lbs now so they are safe.. but they will steal froggies....

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

CareBears — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 15:12:16 GMT

@Keeper of the koi We have shrubs right outside the sunroom and the Hawk hides in those, so several times a day I bang on the window to scare him, he will fly away then, but then 10 minutes later I see him flying through the yard, I know they too are creatures of the world, but I don't want it getting the birds or the squirrels I have in my yard!

My husband has run out into the yard and yells at him to "Get Out" and waves his arms to scare him, the Hawk just looks at him like he thinks my husband is an idiot, LOL, the Hawk comes back!

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

jackthebear — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 15:13:33 GMT

Blackbirds will empty out the feeder

stop feeding

sad but that's it

stopped feeding the squirrels years ago 😡

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

SeaMaiden — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 15:14:31 GMT

I stopped feeding the birds when I started having rats come around. But, when I did feed the birds, I let nature take its course... squirrls, birds of all kinds whatever.

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

CareBears — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 15:23:34 GMT

@ValuSkr We have a few blackbirds as well, but I also feed the Squirrels dry corn, and I throw out bread, our blackbirds tend to eat the bread up first but then go over and munch on the dry corn, they pretty much only eat the seed that is on the ground at the birdfeeder.

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

TaxyLady — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 15:26:22 GMT

I live practically in the woods so skunks, raccoons, o'possums, deer etc are commonplace here. I am about 200 feet from wildlife refuge. Bird feeders, nesting boxes are encouraged. We do enjoy the birds. Not just hundreds of blackbirds.

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

ID2 — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 15:28:33 GMT

I only feed my finches. No other birds like, nor can they land on my feeders filled with nyjer/thistle seed. I always have TONS of finches with no other pesky birds!

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

TaxyLady — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 15:31:04 GMT

It is survival of the fittest around here. Hawks and bald eagles are all around. Also herons and egrets come and pierce fish in the koi ponds. I was taking a walk with my dog the other day and a red tailed hawk came down and landed on a limb about 5 feet from me and screeched this horrible sound. I think the dog was scared too. lol

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

Marp — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 15:39:18 GMT

I've found most of the "nuisence" birds at feeders are easily discouraged after being chased off several times. When I see them gathering I open the door and tell my dog to go to work.

He spots the birds and races toward them and they fly off. I may have to do this two or three times in a short period but that is usually enough. A few weeks later they may return and try again and I just tell Teddy to go to work and we repeat the process.

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

mstyrion 1 — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 15:44:47 GMT

@ID2 wrote:
I only feed my finches. No other birds like, nor can they land on my feeders filled with nyjer/thistle seed. I always have TONS of finches with no other pesky birds!

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Same here. I have a finch feeder that other birds can't perch on.

The doves and quail eat what falls to the ground. Everyone is happy.

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

Susan-QVC — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 16:03:42 GMT

This post has been removed by QVC outside retailer link

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

Havarti — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 16:27:51 GMT

@TaxyLady

Change what you feed the birds. I put out thistle for the sweet little birds and safflower seed for the pretty bigger birds – I particularly like cardinal in the winter. Both seeds are more expensive, BUT….the piggish birds rarely eat these two seeds – so it is more cost effective in the end. These two types of seed require different types of feeders, as thistle is tiny and safflower seeds are larger. Do NOT put out sunflower seeds or millet if you want those black birds to leave. Put your feeder where squirrels and chipmunks can’t get it because both love safflower seeds and they will drain the feeder quickly. If you are in a winter zone, pick up suet at the grocery store from the butcher and ask for some netting for a roast – long enough to fit the suet inside and tie a knot at both ends easily. Hang the suet from a tree with a long "S" hook – like you would hang plants from. Suet helps the birds keep warm in the winter and feeds them, too. This method is cheaper & better for the birds than buying the processed stuff they sell as suet in mass market stores. Enjoy your better collection of birds! Eventually the big black birds go away when there is no food source around that they like.

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

Suziepeach — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 16:27:28 GMT

We also have everything and nature does take its course from time to time. As fas as the blackbirds & etc go they're just passing through and will be gone. Besides my hanging feeders, which are under the deck roof, I throw bird seed- we have a rather large back yard to lots of food is well away from the house- so any passing blackbird & etc can eat and move on. If it's hungry or thirsty, I take care of that- it's just me. It isn't unusual to see a couple hawks just sitting on the fence or front porch. The little birds know when to depart the premises.

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

Spurt — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 16:41:02 GMT

How would you like to deal with this problem......when thousands of grackles descend upon our city in the winter.........For some reason they especially love our grocery stores......the grocery stores have hung owls, have the security guards drive around with air horns ...... and they even cut down a tree near the entrance due to the bird mess.....hasn't stopped them.......downtown they even tried firecrackers.....but all that did was scare tourists....Then they tried lasers, but the birds just moved to another part of town... Grackles are pests and from what I heard mean to other members of the bird community......so if anyone has a solution let me know so I can pass it on...

http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/columnists/josh_brodesky/article/Be-prepared-grackle-season-has-arrived-4965192.php

Re: How to get rid of blackbirds at my feeder.

sidsmom — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 16:40:25 GMT

This is what I've observed on a larger level.

Here in Dallas, black birds like to migrate to

certain pockets of town and wow....it gets BAD. Thousands!

A shopping center placed plastic, fake owls on top

of their buildings...along with a pre-recorded 'owl screech.'

Gone.

You probably don't want to use the screech, but placing

plastic owls around might be worth a try.

I did a quick Google search...and it apparently works.

As for squirrels?

You might as well give them a key to the house.

They own the back yard.

@Spurt

YES! This is exactly what certain parts of Dallas metroplex has.

It's kinda cool to see the 'sea of birds'...but that lasts only

foe a second until they poo all over everything! Ha