A Must-Try DIY That'll Help Keep Squirrels Away From Your Bird Feeder

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There are a lot of quirky bird feeders and bird feeder accessories on the market to prevent squirrels from rampaging through the bird seed. You can even try to protect your bird feeder from squirrels with the help of a slinky. But it's actually not that difficult to DIY a unique bird feeder with a completely squirrel-proof design. YouTuber Chris Notap went to the trouble of figuring out the smallest opening that a squirrel could fit through using trial and error. The look of his squirrel-proof feeder is positively futuristic with beautiful modern flair. The end result is a platform-style bird feeder with dozens of circular openings that only birds can successfully fit through.

To make this feeder yourself, you will need to source a few supplies. This design has specific dimensions, so there is not too much wiggle room here. At your favorite hardware store, seek out a pipe with a 1 ¾-inch diameter. To hold the bird feeder together, grab a weatherproof silicone glue like GE Advanced Silicone Caulk for Window & Door. You will also need weatherproof wood boards to form the base and roof, clear plastic or custom-cut glass for the bird feeder tray, and four angled aluminum pieces. Specific tools are required for a seamless DIY, including a pipe cutting tool and a squeeze clamp.

Before you can start this project, the pipe needs to be cut into ⅝-inch-long pieces. These circular pieces of pipe are then secured together with silicone, forming neat rows. For his bird feeder, Chris Notap created four sides to form a large rectangular shape. Using rulers and clamps, begin to carefully piece the sides together for your feeder, making sure that everything is even and straight.

After assembling the sides, use the angled pieces of aluminum to form the pieces into a sturdy box shape. Drill holes through the bottom of the metal sides and into the wooden roof, then secure them together with screws. To make the bird food tray, measure the inside of the box and take a ¼-inch off the length and width. Either cut plastic pieces to fit, or go to a custom glass shop. Use silicone glue to put the tray together. The bird feeder should fit right on top of the tray and can be secured to a wooden base with screws, preventing squirrels from reaching the seed. Add a wooden roof over the top to keep out critters and protect the bird seed from the elements.

Once you have a knack for creating bird feeders out of circular pipe pieces, you can create your own shapes and designs. Create a simpler version building only two sides of the circular sheets, and add a plastic base and roof to create an A-frame feeder. Or you can form a smaller box feeder that you can easily hang from a tree branch instead of mounting it on a pole. 

Keep in mind that there are ways to determine the perfect size hole for your birdhouse, which can help guide measurements for this type of feeder. If you want to deter certain aggressive, non-native species from your yard, consider using a smaller diameter of pipe that will keep both squirrels and unwanted birds away. As a bonus, the enclosed design of this bird feeder might also help you if you have a weed problem in your yard due to your bird feeder by preventing seed fallout.