{"id":2856,"date":"2024-01-04T20:52:34","date_gmt":"2024-01-04T20:52:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gardendad.co.uk\/?p=2856"},"modified":"2024-01-04T20:53:01","modified_gmt":"2024-01-04T20:53:01","slug":"how-to-feed-birds-without-encouraging-rats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gardendad.co.uk\/how-to-feed-birds-without-encouraging-rats\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Feed Birds Without Encouraging Rats?"},"content":{"rendered":"

We all love to see pretty little garden birds who arrive to nibble on our bird feeders. But, they do sometimes come with some more unwanted guests\u2026<\/p>\n

You may be wondering how to feed birds without encouraging rats – and if so, you are very far from alone! We are here to find you some solutions to this problem.<\/p>\n

How To Feed Birds Without Encouraging Rats?<\/h2>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, where there is bird food there are often rats. It\u2019s just a fact of life – rats will eat just about anything!<\/p>\n

If you have a rat problem but you are diligent with your compost and you don\u2019t leave out food scraps, you may wonder where the rats are coming from\u2026 Sadly, your bird feeders may be the culprit.<\/p>\n

Bird feeders do attract rats, even those that you hang in the trees – rodents are often very good climbers.<\/p>\n

There are a great many<\/a> rodent-proof bird feeders<\/strong> out there that you can install, so that you can still feed the birds without the problem of rats.<\/p>\n

Removing water sources<\/strong> is another good way of keeping the rats at bay while encouraging the birds – birds can fly to find water, whereas rats need it available. Ditch the bird bath!<\/p>\n

You should take care to store the seed properly<\/strong>. Rats are attracted to any food source, so leaving the bird seed bags open in the shed is just asking for trouble.<\/p>\n

Try to keep the area clean<\/strong>. Birds can be messy, and will drop seeds they don\u2019t like to eat, which encourages ground-level scavengers.<\/p>\n

If you have a free standing bird table, consider adding a baffle<\/strong>. This should stop the rats climbing up onto the table to feast on the seeds.<\/p>\n

How Do I Get Rid Of Rats Without Harming Birds?<\/h2>\n

So you want to keep feeding the birds, but not the rats\u2026 You are definitely not alone! Getting rid of the rats can be a tricky problem, especially if you want to keep the birds.<\/p>\n

The first and most important tip is, don\u2019t use poison<\/a>. Yes it may kill the rats, but you run the risk of inadvertently killing the birds as well.<\/p>\n

Glue traps are another no no – again, they may catch the rats, but you run the risk of catching an innocent sparrow or blue tit in it too.<\/p>\n

You can, if you have a really bad infestation of rats, get in touch with a pest control professional, who will be able to give you advice on how to deal with your problem.<\/p>\n

Using strong scents that rats hate is a good way to protect your bird feeders without putting off or harming the birds themselves.<\/p>\n

Use mint, vinegar, chilli, garlic, pepper – anything that is strong smelling will offend those little rodent nostrils and put them off.<\/p>\n

This article<\/a> is very useful for advice on getting rid of rats, with a focus on not harming wildlife.<\/p>\n

How Do I Stop Rats Raiding My Bird Feeder?<\/h2>\n

Obviously, you want to encourage the birds while keeping the rats at bay – but how on earth are you supposed to stop them when they know where the bird feeders are?<\/p>\n

Try to clear up the seed that the birds drop, as this will be the first thing that alerts the rats to the fact that there is food around.<\/p>\n

If they are getting into the bird feeders themselves, invest in a rodent-proof version – you can get these at most good garden stores.<\/p>\n

Keep bird feeders away from walls, trees – anything that rats can climb onto then use to get onto the feeders.<\/p>\n

Bird tables are easy for rats to climb up onto, so consider getting a hanging feeder instead – or placing a baffle to stop the rats from climbing up.<\/p>\n

Of course, you don\u2019t want to stop feeding the birds entirely because of rats – but equally, you don\u2019t want an infestation of rats in your garden!<\/p>\n

Do Rats Climb Up Bird Feeders?<\/h2>\n

Rats are excellent at survival, and they are also incredibly acrobatic. You will know this if you have ever seen one shin up your trees!<\/p>\n

Yes, rats can and do climb up bird feeders. Basically, they will do anything to get a bit of food, even if it\u2019s tricky to get to.<\/p>\n

The long, thin pole bird feeders will be harder for a rat to climb up, so invest in one of these if you can.<\/p>\n

Adding a baffle to the bottom of your bird feeder is a great way to prevent a rat from climbing up and getting all your bird\u2019s seed!<\/p>\n

You should also keep feeders away from trees, walls and sheds – if they can climb off something onto the bird feeder, they will do so.<\/p>\n

Hanging feeders in trees is great for the birds, but also easy for rats to get the seed – they are good at tree climbing, and can even hang upside down on branches to get at the tasty seeds.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a video showing you the tenacity – and climbing ability – of rats, when there\u2019s food about:<\/p>\n