A squirrel reaching out to a bird feeder.
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Add This To Your Bird Feeder To Ward Off Hungry Squirrels
By KATE NICHOLSON
Squirrels scare away the birds and are voracious, messy eaters. To discourage them from stealing from your birdfeeder, consider adding safflower seeds.
A flowering shrub in the daisy family, safflower has a notoriously hard shell surrounding a highly nutritious heart, and has a bitter taste that some birds love but squirrels hate.
While you can use white or golden safflower, golden safflower is preferred due to its higher nutritional value. It is also easier for smaller birds to feed on the golden variant.
For this hack to work, make sure you have a hopper or tray-style feeder. Then, place the safflower in the feeder by itself instead of adding it to the birdseed mix.
It is important to note that squirrels may begin eating safflower if food is scarce. They may start feeding on it anytime between a few weeks to a year after avoiding it.