Why did the birds quit coming to my bird feeder? It used to attract everything in the woods but nothing now.?

I had the birdfeeder in a tree at first but had to take it down because of squirrels - turkeys, etc. Everything jumped from my porch into the feeder. I then hung the feeder in another tree. I put a homemade baffle on it (a large plastic planter with a hole drilled in the middle). The ';baffle'; came to the middle of the feeder and larger birds (Northern Cardinals) couldn't get to the seed. I saw everything in the feeder including squirrels. I changed the baffle so I can see the birds better and to let the larger birds in and to maybe prevent the squirrels from getting in. I have not seen one bird since. It has been rainy for a few days - could that be it? Or is it the new baffle?Why did the birds quit coming to my bird feeder? It used to attract everything in the woods but nothing now.?
You are lucky it is only squirrels feeding off the bird seed, we have mutant rats crawling up ours! I suggest you clean the feeder and the baffle because squirrels leave a scent that detracts some bird species (rats do, too). Water alone won't do the job, but whatever cleaner you use must be non-toxic and rinse away residue because the birds will get it on their feet. That being said, we don't really have a lot of birds at our feeders when it is raining.





I honestly thought that the zoologist at the Wild Animal Park was out of his mind when he told me about the scents left by rodents on the feeders. But, since they have a huge aviary comprised of several exotic bird species, I thought I'd give it a try. Now, I clean it every time I fill it, just in case.Why did the birds quit coming to my bird feeder? It used to attract everything in the woods but nothing now.?
Yesterday when I pulled into my driveway after work there were two deer standing over the bird feeder eating all the seeds and licking at the actual feeder and baffle (on the ground).

Report Abuse

I put up a new feeder in the gum tree. It's a ';squirrel proof'; feeder. I re hung the old feeder after I hosed it down and this morning I saw a pair of American Finches a/k/a Wild Canaries!!

Report Abuse

ya gotta keep food in your feeder!
maybe they don't like that you keep moving it around. incidentally, it is at the right height for the birds you want to attract? do you have other features to attract the birds (bird bath, cover foliage, etc.?)