The 6 Best Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeders for Winter (2026)

The best squirrel proof bird feeder for most yards is the Brome Squirrel Buster Plus, a tube feeder that holds 5.1 pounds of seed behind an outer shroud that drops and closes all six seed ports when a squirrel's weight lands on it. Bob Vila's testers named it their best overall, and in a 2019 review Bird Watcher's Digest editor Dawn Hewitt wrote that hers had proven true to its claims over several years. For a small yard, the Squirrel Buster Mini works the same way, and the Droll Yankees Yankee Flipper is the pick if you want a feeder that spins squirrels off. None of them works if a squirrel can reach the seed without putting its weight on the feeder, so where you hang it matters as much as which one you buy.

We make digging spades, not bird feeders, so nothing on this list is ours. Every pick is judged on how it stops squirrels, what its maker says it will not stop where the maker publishes that, how much seed it holds for a winter of feeding, and what the people who tested it in their own yards found.

Disclosure: as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It does not change what we recommend or what you pay. Availability was checked on Amazon on October 4, 2026 and can change; we do not print prices because they move, so every "Check price" link shows today's.

Jump to: How to keep squirrels off | Every model compared | Pole or baffle? | The 5-7-9 rule | Seed squirrels skip | Winter feeding

The best squirrel-proof bird feeders at a glance

How we chose

We did not test these feeders in a yard of our own. We started from the hands-on tests we could find and read them in full: Bob Vila's (eight feeders over one week), Birds and Blooms' (eight feeders over about a month in a Wisconsin yard with squirrels and chipmunks), and the Bird Watcher's Digest editors who reviewed the feeders they use at home (in a 2019 issue). We then checked every pick against its Amazon listing and, where the maker publishes one, its own product page: Brome for picks 1, 2 and 6, and Perky-Pet's site, which also sells Droll Yankees, for picks 3 and 5. Woodlink's site would not load for us, so pick 4 rests on its listing and Bob Vila's test.

Our rules: a full pick had to be in stock on Amazon on October 4, 2026, and had to have at least one hands-on tester behind it. Placement advice comes from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the University of New Hampshire Extension, each maker's own instructions, Birds and Blooms, Wirecutter and Bob Vila, plus the 5-7-9 rule as the retailer Duncraft explains it, and the American Bird Conservancy on windows. Winter feeding advice comes from UNH Extension. Each source is named where it appears. Where a tester's finding cuts against a pick, it is in that pick's "Where it loses" line.

The best squirrel-proof bird feeders, by job

1. Brome Squirrel Buster Plus: best overall

Check price. Bob Vila's testers named this their best overall squirrel-proof bird feeder, and The Spruce also names it its best overall. Dawn Hewitt, editor of Bird Watcher's Digest, wrote in 2019 that she had used one for several years and that her Brome feeders "have proven true to their claims." It stands 28 inches tall, holds 5.1 pounds of seed, and feeds birds through six ports. When a squirrel climbs on, its weight forces the outer shroud down over the ports; Brome says "squirrels and some large birds are foiled but not harmed in any way."

The spring is adjustable, so you set how much weight the shroud carries before it closes. The optional cardinal ring lets cardinals perch comfortably, Bob Vila's testers say, and Hewitt has watched six birds of different species feeding from its perch ring at once. Brome says every part a squirrel can reach is chew proof, the whole feeder comes apart by hand for cleaning, and vents at the top let humid, hot air out of the seed tube. For winter, Brome sells a Weather Guard that fits over this feeder and keeps seed and birds dry. To mount it on a pole rather than hang it, Brome sells a pole adaptor for 1 inch poles only. Its listing says it fits a BirdsUP single pole; the Squirrel Stopper kit in the pole section below has a 1 inch top, but neither listing says the two fit together.

Where it loses: placement and a few animals. Brome's own page says to hang it so nothing sits within 18 inches of it on any side, because a squirrel that can stretch across from something close by, without putting its weight on the feeder, gets the seed. Brome also names the animals it will not stop: starlings, grackles, chipmunks, possums, raccoons, bears, deer, and juvenile red, Douglas and flying squirrels. It also tells you to bring the feeder in at night. Bob Vila's testers found the cardinal ring cumbersome to attach and called the feeder expensive compared with similar options; on the day we checked, it was the most expensive full pick here.

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2. Brome Squirrel Buster Mini: best for small spaces

Check price. Bob Vila's best bang for the buck, and the same shroud system as pick 1 in a much smaller feeder. It holds 1 pound of seed with four metal perches, and Brome says the weight of an adult squirrel closes the shroud. Bob Vila's testers write that "so long as it's hung with clearance, we found the tension spring design worked reliably time and time again," and that it drew cardinals and titmice. Brome says the perches suit small perching birds while the wire shroud gives clinging birds such as woodpeckers and nuthatches something to hold. It shares the chew-proof parts, tool-free take-apart and seed vents of the bigger model.

Where it loses: capacity. Bob Vila's testers were topping it up about twice a week, which is the trade for a feeder small enough for a deck or a narrow yard. Unlike picks 1 and 6, Brome lists the Mini as non-adjustable: the weight of an adult squirrel closes the shroud, and you cannot tune it. Brome's list of animals it will not deter is the same as for the Plus, and so is the 18 inch clearance rule.

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3. Droll Yankees Yankee Flipper: best spinning feeder

Check price. Bob Vila and Birds and Blooms both picked this one: Bob Vila's best large feeder and Birds and Blooms' best smart feeder. A squirrel's weight on the perch ring switches on a battery-powered motor, which spins the ring and throws the squirrel off. "It really does work," says Birds and Blooms tester Katie Bandurski, who adds that the birds' weight does not trigger it and that cardinals, chickadees, finches and even bluebirds are regular visitors. It holds 5 pounds of seed in a polycarbonate tube with four ports and a baffle inside the tube that keeps seed flowing. The maker says it is calibrated to carry even cardinals and woodpeckers, and a tight-fitting metal cap stops squirrels lifting the lid.

Bob Vila's testers called it the most robust model in their lineup and said it did an excellent job of keeping squirrels away. Bandurski found one charge lasts a long time, and that it still feeds birds when the battery runs down, though then, she says, you lean more on a baffle to keep squirrels off.

Where it loses: weight and charging. Filled, it was heavy enough to make Bob Vila's shepherd's hook droop, so plan on a sturdy hook with a strong base, and the motor needs regular charging with the included adapter. The maker's own placement rule is at least 4 feet off the ground and 8 feet from anything a squirrel could leap from. One buyer reviewing it on the maker's own page reports two units whose spin stopped working, one within a year; in its reply there, the maker points to a two-year warranty on manufacturing defects and a separate warranty against squirrel damage with no end date. Bandurski also calls it one of the priciest feeders she tested.

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4. Woodlink Absolute II: most seed between fills

Check price. Bob Vila's best post-mounted pick and the largest feeder here: the listing gives 12 pounds (and, in another line, 2 gallons), with feeding ports on both sides and polycarbonate windows above the feeding ports. Bob Vila's testers write that it ships with a 5-foot pole plus the hardware to mount it, that its spring adjusts to light, medium and heavy settings, and that the top locks and resists chewing. Weight on the perch closes the ports. In their test it usually kept squirrels away and drew a wide range of birds, and they liked that it requires infrequent filling.

Where it loses: a couple of tenacious squirrels in Bob Vila's test did swipe a few handfuls, which the testers did not count as a deal breaker. It is big and heavy, so they say to mount it on a pole rather than hang it. We could not load Woodlink's own product page, so the specs here rest on the listing and on Bob Vila's test.

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5. Perky-Pet Squirrel-Be-Gone: best on a budget

Check price. Birds and Blooms' best budget pick, and the least expensive full pick on this page on the day we checked. A wire cage with a leaf pattern surrounds a clear 2 pound seed tube; when a squirrel's weight lands on the cage or a perch, the cage pulls down and the leaves cover the six ports. Bandurski found the squirrels and chipmunks in her yard discovered it almost immediately but "seemed baffled about how to access the seed," and called it "a super smart design." It comes fully assembled with U-shaped perches, and Perky-Pet says the metal is powder coated against rust.

Where it loses: durability. After a few weeks Bandurski saw chipmunks starting to chew the plastic, and she could see them eventually getting in. She also warns that the springs are hard to reattach if they come loose during cleaning. Perky-Pet itself admits, in a reply on its product page, that determined squirrels and raccoons sometimes get past it when the feeder is not set up well. Its placement advice is in the placement section below.

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6. Brome Squirrel Buster Suet: best for suet

Check price. In winter, suet is a great choice for woodpeckers and nuthatches, the University of New Hampshire Extension says, and squirrels raid suet feeders too: Bird Watcher's Digest production director Bruce Wunderlich tried this squirrel-proof suet feeder, in a 2019 review, because the squirrels in his yard kept finding a way into his. It holds two suet cakes behind the same weight-adjustable shroud as pick 1, and a crumb port catches pieces that would otherwise fall to the ground so birds finish them. Wunderlich found it easy to load and liked that the included booklet gives typical weights for the birds and squirrels that come to suet, so you can set the spring with numbers rather than guesswork. Brome says loading is mess free, and its listing names chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, woodpeckers, wrens, jays, orioles and warblers.

Where it loses: small animals and big woodpeckers. Wunderlich says young squirrels and chipmunks may still get in, and that setting the spring low enough to stop them could also keep out big birds like pileated woodpeckers, or a group of birds feeding together. It needs 18 inches of clearance on every side, and Brome's list of animals it will not deter matches the Plus.

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Also considered: models that missed the list and why

Brome Squirrel Solution200. Bob Vila's best chew-proof pick, with six ports and a 3.4 pound capacity on its listing, plus a seed funnel. It missed because Bob Vila's testers found cardinals and titmice reluctant to use its small perches, and the Squirrel Buster Plus does the same job with a cardinal ring and an adjustable spring.

Brome Squirrel Buster Classic and Squirrel Buster Legacy. The middle sizes of the Squirrel Buster line: 2.4 and 2.6 pounds of seed, four ports on the Classic and four removable perches on the Legacy, and the Legacy's listing describes the adjustable spring. No tester we read reviewed either one, so they sit here; if the Plus is too big and the Mini too small, these are the same system in between.

Roamwild PestOff. Dawn Hewitt recommends it alongside her Squirrel Buster Plus: each of its two ports has its own spring, so a squirrel on one perch closes only that port. She found it a bit easier to refill but noted it holds about half as much, and it cannot be calibrated for weight; she has seen six birds at once on the Plus's perch, but only two at a time on the Pestoff's two ports. Her review dates from 2019, and the listing we link gives both 3 and 4 pounds for its capacity, so we could not confirm it is the model she used.

More Birds Double Cage suet feeder. Birds and Blooms' best suet pick and Bob Vila's best for suet: a cage around two suet cakes that small birds step inside. Birds and Blooms says it resisted squirrels and chipmunks better than any other feeder in its test, even with no baffle; Bob Vila's testers note that woodpeckers cannot feed from it. It was out of stock on Amazon on October 4, 2026, so we did not link it.

Kingsyard Squirrel Proof Suet Feeder. The in-stock cage-style alternative: two suet cakes inside an all-metal cage whose listing gives 1 1/2 inch fly-through openings that discourage adult squirrels, with a top baffle and a tray below. No tester we read reviewed it. Birds and Blooms says caged feeders work especially well for small birds and keep out bully birds too, but can be less effective where squirrels are especially small, as in the Deep South.

Squirrel Buster Standard, Perky-Pet Squirrel-Be-Gone Max and Squirrel-Be-Gone II Home Style. All three lost to squirrels in Birds and Blooms' test. Squirrels struggled on the Standard at first, then "figured it out and had a feast." On the Max they eventually found a bypass and chewed a larger hole. The Home Style was Bandurski's favorite design, but "it was cleaned out in mere hours." We do not link feeders that failed the one hands-on test we have.

Suction-cup window feeders. Bob Vila's testers tried the Nature's Hangout window feeder and found it had no features to repel squirrels, keeping them away only when it hung far from jumping-off points. A window feeder is a window feeder, not a squirrel-proof one.

Every model compared: capacity, weight setting and fills per bag

The last column is computed: a 20 pound bag of seed divided by each feeder's listed capacity, so you can see how often you will be out in the cold refilling. Real use depends on how many birds come, and a feeder is rarely filled to the brim. The spread is wide: a 20 pound bag is 20 fills of the Mini but under 2 of the Woodlink, so if you will be refilling in snow, capacity counts for more than it looks in the shop.

How to keep squirrels off a bird feeder: where to hang it

The way to keep squirrels off a bird feeder is placement plus a baffle: a squirrel-proof feeder hung where a squirrel cannot reach the seed without putting its weight on the feeder, and a baffle below it if it stands on a pole. Every weight-activated feeder has the same weak spot, and Brome states it plainly: if a squirrel can reach the ports from a nearby foothold without putting its weight on the feeder, it gets the seed. So the setup matters as much as the feeder. Here is what each source we read says, side by side.

The sources split here. Cornell Lab, writing about feeders in general, says every feeder should be 10 feet or more from any spot a squirrel can launch from, and every feeder should have a baffle. Brome, writing about its own weight-activated feeders, says to hang them wherever you like (a deck, a fence, a tree or over a window) as long as they have 18 inches of clearance, so a squirrel has to climb onto the feeder, and its weight then closes the ports. So by their maker's rule a deck works for picks 1, 2 and 6 if nothing a squirrel can stand on comes within 18 inches; if you can also give Cornell's 10 feet, you have both. Makers differ even among weight-activated feeders: Perky-Pet, for pick 5, gives 18 inches in one reply on its product page and at least 10 feet, or 10 to 12, in two others, so where you can give the distance, give it. The spinning Yankee Flipper has its maker's own rule of 4 feet up and 8 feet from anything a squirrel could leap from.

Height is the other split. Duncraft puts a squirrel's jump from the ground at 4 to 5 feet; Birds and Blooms says many gray squirrels can jump 8 feet high from a sitting position, and Wirecutter keeps its feeders higher than 8 feet. On a pole, the baffle is what stops the climb: Duncraft calls one a necessary part of the setup if you hang from a pole. Overhead, Duncraft says at least 9 feet below overhanging branches, and Cornell Lab says squirrels can drop 11 feet onto a feeder from a roof or branch.

For a feeder on a pole, that adds up to a baffle under the feeder (Cornell Lab puts it below) and at least 5 feet up (the 5-7-9 rule as Duncraft explains it), at least 10 feet from trees, fences and deck rails (Cornell Lab, UNH Extension, Birds and Blooms), well away from the house (UNH Extension says at least 10 feet; Wirecutter's setup puts the pole 30 feet away), and as far below overhanging branches as you can manage. Higher is better if you can get it: Wirecutter keeps feeders more than 8 feet up, because it and Birds and Blooms say squirrels can jump that high. Neither pole on this page lists that height (Woodlink's included pole is 5 feet, Bob Vila's testers say, and the Squirrel Stopper kit's listing gives no height), and a feeder more than 8 feet up is above most people's reach from the ground, so check the pole height before you buy and plan how you will refill it (a stepladder, or a pole that lowers). Cornell Lab calls one feeder in its own bird garden "the only truly squirrel-proof feeder" there: a tube feeder on a pole that stands over 10 feet from cover, with a 16 inch baffle roughly a foot under it that also catches spilled seed.

Two more placement notes. The University of New Hampshire Extension also says to put feeders near natural shelter such as trees and shrubs, so aim for cover close enough for birds to dash to, but still 10 feet from any branch a squirrel can launch from. And for windows, the old advice about keeping feeders a set distance away no longer holds, Christine Sheppard of the American Bird Conservancy told the Cornell Lab's All About Birds site: "If you've got windows near a bird feeder, you should make them bird friendly and don't worry about how far away they are."

Is there a squirrel-proof bird feeder that actually works?

Yes, with a caveat two of the pages we read state outright. Birds and Blooms opens with "there's no such thing as completely squirrel-proof bird feeders," and Wirecutter says the experts it spoke to "all agreed that nothing could be 100 percent squirrelproof." What works is a weight-activated or spinning feeder hung where a squirrel has to put its weight on it. Hung with clearance, the Squirrel Buster Mini's spring worked "time and time again" in Bob Vila's test, and Dawn Hewitt has watched countless squirrels try and fail at her Brome feeders. What does not work, even on a good feeder, is a spot a squirrel can reach from a railing, a branch or a roof edge. A dome feeder with no moving parts, which squirrels slide off from above, is a third approach; bigger animals still emptied the Sky Cafe that Birds and Blooms tested, and it was out of stock on Amazon on October 4, 2026, so it is not on this list.

What is the 5-7-9 rule for squirrels?

It is a backyard-birding rule of thumb, explained by Duncraft, a bird-feeding retailer: hang the feeder at least 5 feet off the ground, keep 7 feet clear on every side, and keep it at least 9 feet below overhanging branches. Duncraft bases the numbers on how high a squirrel can jump from the ground (4 to 5 feet), how far it can leap sideways (about 7 feet), and its own trial and error with drops from above. Birds and Blooms and Wirecutter put a squirrel's jump higher, at up to 8 feet. Duncraft also calls a baffle necessary on any pole, because a squirrel can simply climb it. Duncraft adds that the rule works for gray and red squirrels but may not stop flying squirrels every time. Cornell Lab's 10 foot figure is stricter on the sides, so if you can give 10 feet, do.

Squirrel proof bird feeder pole or squirrel baffle: which do you need?

If your feeder is on a pole, you need a squirrel baffle; the pole itself is not squirrel proof. "Squirrels can climb the slipperiest poles imaginable," Cornell Lab writes, so the baffle goes below the feeder, and it need not tilt. Bob Vila's FAQ agrees that squirrels can climb metal poles and says plastic or metal baffles can help stop them. A pole sold as squirrel proof works because of the baffle on it and where it stands, so judge any pole kit by its baffle and by whether you can set it 10 feet from anything a squirrel could leap from. Squirrel Stopper's own listing for its Universal Mounting Pole Kit says it plainly: "This is not a squirrel proof pole." It is a 1.25 inch galvanized steel pole with an auger base that holds up to 30 pounds, and it needs a baffle added. The 18 inch More Birds Squirrel-X wrap-around baffle fits poles from 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches across, so it fits that pole (Amazon showed it in limited stock on October 4, 2026). For a 1/2 to 1 inch pole (so not the Squirrel Stopper's 1.25 inch pole), the Erva SB6 disk baffle is 22.5 inches across with solid steel collars its listing says cannot be chewed. If your feeder hangs from a branch or a line instead, Cornell Lab suggests a tilting baffle 18 inches or more across, hung above it, and hanging it from 3 to 4 feet of nylon fishing line rather than wire.

Birds and Blooms adds two warnings: wood and metal poles are easy for squirrels to climb, and you should never grease a pole, because grease harms birds and other wildlife. A reader quoted by Birds and Blooms says torpedo baffles held up even to a bear, which brings up the animals no baffle or feeder stops: see the maker lists in each pick above, and take feeders down at the first sign of bears, as UNH Extension advises.

Bird seed squirrels don't like

Birds and Blooms names white millet, nyjer (thistle) and safflower as seeds squirrels tend to dislike; cardinals and titmice eat safflower and finches eat nyjer. Some people mix cayenne pepper into seed or buy hot pepper suet, because birds do not taste the heat, but Birds and Blooms notes others argue the pepper can irritate birds' eyes, so it says to use that with caution. Brome's listings for the Squirrel Buster Mini and Classic say they work best with sunflower seed, safflower seed or dried mealworms.

What should you feed squirrels so they stay away from bird feeders?

Cheap food somewhere else. Wirecutter calls it appeasement: corn cobs or peanuts in a spot of their own, because a well-fed squirrel is territorial and keeps other squirrels away. Birds and Blooms suggests a corn cob feeder, and quotes John Griffin of the Humane Society of the United States: "Squirrels have an important role in our ecosystem and do a lot of things for us, like plant trees." Put it well away from the bird feeders.

Winter bird feeding with a squirrel-proof feeder

Winter is when the feeder matters most, the University of New Hampshire Extension says: "the most critical time to feed birds is in the wintertime, especially late in the season," when natural food is used up or buried in snow. Its advice for a winter feeding station:

• One food, if only one: black oil sunflower seed, which UNH says is used by nearly every common feeder species. Raw beef suet is for cold weather, because it goes rancid quickly in warm temperatures; UNH says suet cakes made for birds are fine all year. Pick 6 is the squirrel-proof way to offer them.
• Keep going once you start: taper off gradually if you stop, and continue "until the last of the snow is gone and the buds are beginning to break."
• Water: unfrozen water is hard for birds to find in winter, and UNH suggests a birdbath with an immersion heater.
• Keep it clean: clean up spilled seed and hulls, and clean and disinfect feeders with soap and hot water, then a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water. The Yankee Flipper's maker and Perky-Pet both say to clean at least every two weeks.

UNH lists mice and rats among the animals that eat bird feed, and reducing the seed spilled on the ground limits the rodents foraging under them. A tray under the feeder, as in Cornell Lab's own setup, catches much of it. Store seed in a galvanized can with a tight lid, which UNH says keeps rodents and insects out. If mice have already found the shed or garage where the seed lives, our mouse repellent guide covers sealing and trapping, and our rat traps guide covers the bigger problem.

A word from the people who wrote this

We are Spear Head Spade, and we make a double patented digging spade, not bird feeders. Squirrels dig up newly planted bulbs too, and our guide to bulbs to plant in fall covers keeping them out of new plantings. If your feeder pole goes into a dug hole rather than on an auger base, that hole is the one digging job on this page, and our spade finder matches a spade to your soil.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best squirrel proof bird feeder?

For most yards, the Brome Squirrel Buster Plus: 5.1 pounds of seed, six ports behind a shroud that closes under a squirrel's weight, an adjustable spring, and Bob Vila's best overall. For a small space, the Squirrel Buster Mini; for a spinning feeder, the Droll Yankees Yankee Flipper. Hang any of them where a squirrel has to put its weight on the feeder to reach the seed.

Do weight-activated bird feeders hurt squirrels?

No. Brome says its feeders frustrate squirrels and some large birds without hurting them, and the shroud simply closes the ports. The Yankee Flipper's listing says its spinning perch deters squirrels without harm, and the maker calls it humane squirrel defense.

Why is a squirrel still getting seed from my squirrel-proof feeder?

Usually because it can reach the ports without putting its weight on the feeder. For its weight-activated feeders, Brome says to allow at least 18 inches of clearance all around. Cornell Lab, writing about feeders in general, says at least 10 feet from anything a squirrel could leap from, plus a baffle. Also check the animal: Brome says its feeders will not deter juvenile red, Douglas or flying squirrels, chipmunks or raccoons.

Will a squirrel-proof feeder keep out raccoons and bears?

No. Brome lists raccoons, possums, bears and deer among the animals its feeders will not deter and says to bring feeders in at night. The University of New Hampshire Extension says to take feeders down in spring, before bears are out, or as soon as you see signs of a bear.

How high should a squirrel-proof bird feeder be?

At least 5 feet, by the 5-7-9 rule as Duncraft explains it, with a baffle if the feeder is on a pole (Cornell Lab puts it below the feeder); the Yankee Flipper's maker says at least 4 feet. Higher is better if you can manage it: Wirecutter keeps feeders more than 8 feet up, and it and Birds and Blooms say squirrels can jump as high as 8 feet. Distance matters as much as height: see the placement section above for how far to keep the feeder from trees and railings.

Can squirrels climb a metal bird feeder pole?

Yes. Cornell Lab says squirrels can climb even the slickest poles, and Bob Vila's FAQ agrees they can climb metal poles. Cornell Lab's answer is a baffle fastened to the pole below the feeder. Never grease the pole; Birds and Blooms says grease harms birds and other wildlife.

What is the number one squirrel deterrent for a bird feeder?

Where you hang it. Cornell Lab calls one feeder in its own bird garden "the only truly squirrel-proof feeder" there: a tube feeder on a pole that stands over 10 feet from cover, with a 16 inch baffle roughly a foot under it. Where you cannot get 10 feet, a weight-activated feeder such as the Squirrel Buster Plus, hung with Brome's 18 inches of clearance, closes its ports when a squirrel climbs on.

Is it OK to trap and relocate squirrels?

Birds and Blooms says moving squirrels with a live trap is usually fatal for them and will not stop others from moving in. A feeder they cannot empty, placed where they cannot reach it, and a cheap corn or peanut station of their own together are the humane route.