A Clever DIY That'll Keep Squirrels From Eating All Of Your Bird Seed

Though squirrels are cute, cuddly-looking creatures, they are technically classified as pests. This is especially true for those of us who enjoy home gardening, bird watching, and leaving seeds out for our feathered friends. Experienced bird-watchers are all too familiar with the frustrating experience of bushy-tailed invaders ransacking their birdfeeders, which prevents local bird species from visiting as often. Luckily, there's a simple solution to fend off animals that try to eat your bird seed, which allows birds and squirrels to live in perfect harmony with humankind while you and your kids watch on in adorable awe.

One way to fend off squirrels is by utilizing the mantra "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!". To that end, consider building a DIY picnic table where your neighborhood squirrels can congregate in peace. With this nifty guide, you hopefully won't need to worry about your local rodents gnawing their way through your stash of bird seed again, since they'll be too busy admiring your fine craftsmanship and chewing up a snack of their own. While this method may not be foolproof, it can be helpful, especially when combined with other methods to humanely banish squirrels from your garden like cinnamon or baffles. Also consider the downsides to this trick to keep squirrels away from your bird feeder.

Building your own squirrel table is a simple task which can be done with basic supplies and tools. If you're a woodworking hobbyist and have easy access to table saws, fine quality lumber (or non-toxic wood scraps), and a nail gun, you'll find that this construction project shouldn't take long to complete — though beginners could also likely tackle it.

Once you've gathered your materials, you'll want to cut your lumber down to size. For some, this should be as simple as firing up a table saw, measuring twice, and cutting once. If you don't have access to that kind of machinery, you can always enlist help from hardware stores such as Home Depot, where staff are instructed to offer a limited number of free wood cuts to customers. You'll need one 6-inch by 4½-inch piece for the tabletop, one 8-inch by 2½-inch piece to connect it to a fence or tree, two 1-inch by 6-inch pieces for the seats, two ½-inch by 6-inch pieces for the braces, and four 1-inch wide pieces of equal length, cut with a 26-degree angle on the ends, for the legs. You could also scale your measurements to your preferred size. Instead of connecting the table to a fence, you could also place it on artificial turf or another surface — just place it far away from your bird feeders.

Construct the piece like you would a normal picnic table, using wood glue and nails. Begin by attaching two legs together with a horizontal brace, then repeating this process. Attach the seats between these leg pieces, then add the tabletop and mount it with the final wood piece. You can offer your squirrels half an ear of sweet corn, attached directly to the table via a screw through the tabletop. Other options include a bowl of hazelnuts, acorns, or walnuts. Squirrels aren't usually very picky about what they eat, though this combination of nuts is generally regarded to be their favorite cuisine.