Backyard-Birds

I put up my first bird feeder seven years ago — a cheap plastic tube from a big box store. Squirrels destroyed it within a month. The second feeder was steel-reinforced. The squirrels jumped from the roof instead. I’ve since learned that good bird feeders are built around two realities: birds are picky about where they eat, and squirrels will test every weakness in your setup. We tested 7 feeders and houses across four categories — tube, hopper, suet, and nest boxes — to find the ones that actually keep birds fed and squirrels frustrated. ...