Why Squirrels Target Feeders and Lofts

Grey squirrels are among the most determined visitors a British garden will ever host. They are agile, patient, quick to learn and blessed with an excellent memory for food. A well-stocked bird feeder is effectively a free canteen, and once a squirrel has found it, it will return every morning until the food runs out. The same logic applies to your loft: warm, dry, quiet and filled with insulation that makes a perfect nest. A gap the size of a golf ball — roughly 45mm — is all a grey squirrel needs, and roof edges, vents and pipe entries are full of such gaps.

There is a legal point worth knowing, too. Red squirrels are protected in the UK, so take advice before doing anything that might disturb them if you live in an area where they are present. Grey squirrels cause most of the trouble, and once trapped they cannot legally be released back into the wild, which is why trapping is best left to a professional.

Making Bird Feeders Genuinely Squirrel-Resistant

Most "squirrel-proof" feeders sold in garden centres are squirrel-resistant at best. Squirrels will chew plastic, prise open lids and hang upside down for as long as it takes, so real protection comes from combining the right feeder with the right position.

• Choose metal. A powder-coated steel feeder with a metal lid and locking mechanism will outlast any plastic equivalent. Look for reinforced metal collars around the feeding ports.
• Try a weight-activated feeder. These close the ports when anything heavier than a small bird lands on the perch. They work well if the tension is set correctly and the mechanism is kept clean.
• Use a caged feeder. An outer cage keeps squirrels off the food and has the useful side effect of protecting small birds from larger ones.
• Consider chilli-treated seed. Birds cannot detect capsaicin, the compound that makes chilli hot, but mammals can. Never use loose chilli powder, which can irritate birds' eyes.
• Stop the easy wins. Fat balls in open nets, seed scattered on the ground and open trays are an invitation. Use proper holders and sweep up spillage each evening.

Baffles, Poles and Placement

A good baffle is the single most effective piece of kit you can buy. It works on a simple principle: squirrels cannot climb over a wide, smooth, wobbling obstacle, and they cannot jump past one that is positioned properly.

• Mount feeders on a smooth metal pole rather than a wooden post or branch.
• Fit a cone or stovepipe baffle at least 45cm across, positioned around 1.5 metres above ground so it cannot be bypassed from below.
• Keep the feeder at least two metres from fences, walls and branches. If a squirrel can reach it with a jump, it will.
• Trim back overhanging branches so nothing dangles within leaping distance of the feeder or the roof.
• Skip grease and oil on poles. They can harm birds' feathers, and squirrels soon work out how to cope with them anyway.

Keeping Squirrels Out of the Loft

Prevention is far easier than eviction. Once a year — ideally in late summer, before colder weather drives animals indoors — walk around the outside of your house with a torch and look up. Pay particular attention to:

• Broken, slipped or missing roof tiles and ridge tiles
• Gaps where fascia and soffit boards meet the wall, especially at the eaves
• Loose guttering and the point where downpipes meet the wall
• Air vents, extractor outlets and any ducting leaving the building
• Cracks in brickwork and holes around pipes and cables entering the loft

Seal anything you find with galvanised wire mesh with holes no larger than 20mm, fixed securely with screws or staples. Expanding foam alone is a waste of time, as squirrels chew straight through it, though it can be used behind mesh as a backing. Keep gutters clear of moss and leaves as well; squirrels collect moss for nesting material, and damp debris softens the timber around the eaves.

Signs You Already Have a Squirrel in the Roof

Squirrels are early risers. Scratching, scampering and a distinct thumping at first light usually means something is moving around above the ceiling. Other clues include droppings, gnawed cables and pipework, insulation pushed into mounds, and small hoards of nuts tucked into corners. Chewed wiring is the most serious issue: it creates a genuine fire risk and can knock out alarms, broadband and lighting circuits, so treat fresh gnawing damage as urgent.

Do not block an entrance while a squirrel is still inside. It will cause far more damage trying to escape, and an animal that dies in the loft creates a smell that is difficult and costly to deal with. Establish whether the loft is empty, or bring in a professional who can do so safely and in line with the law.

Staying Ahead of the Problem

Squirrels are creatures of habit. They follow the same routes, raid the same feeders and test the same gaps year after year. Break that routine and they will usually move on to an easier garden.

Build a short weekly habit: check feeders and sweep up spillage, keep bins lidded and compost covered, glance at the roof edge and gutters, and repair any new gap before it becomes an entrance. Expect a fortnight of persistence when you first make changes, as squirrels will test every weakness in your set-up before accepting defeat. Combine a metal feeder, a well-placed baffle and a properly sealed roof, and you will keep the birds fed while the squirrels look elsewhere.