Home › Forums › Bluebird Chatter › Advice Needed On Protection from Bluejays
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Lisa.
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July 11, 2017 at 5:27 am #5466
The mockingbirds are the biggest bullies in the yard!
Susan
PennsylvaniaJuly 11, 2017 at 7:48 am #5467Agree with Tammy – Bluejays should not be able to get inside a 1 1/2″ opening.
July 11, 2017 at 10:13 am #5472Speaking of predators last night I was watching my new resident raccoon who has taken to my front porch. Those arms are LOOONG! I see how easy it would be for one to clean out a birdhouse!
July 12, 2017 at 7:19 pm #5541I’ve never looked at their arms. I’ll have to take notice next time I see one. A friend (facebook) had raccoons raid his purple martin gourds or housing. They climbed over a predator guard (5 ft long 6 ft wide PVC pipe but not wobbling) and bit off the heads of all his martins that didn’t scare off when it came up. It came several times and devastated that rack full of martins.
Tammy
July 12, 2017 at 8:23 pm #5554Yep. Wobbling is a very big deal.
Gin
Atlanta, GAJuly 12, 2017 at 8:29 pm #5556I’ve never had a cylindrical raccoon baffle, just a wobbly cone-shaped squirrel baffle. Do you think I should switch to the cylinder style? Has anyone every used both by putting the raccoon baffle under the squirrel baffle, or is that over-kill?
Susan
PennsylvaniaJuly 13, 2017 at 2:27 pm #5568These people don’t ship, but if you scroll down you can see the squirrel and raccoon baffles side by side. https://springfieldil.wbu.com/content/show/78111 The difference is huge. You don’t need to use both of them. What you need is the raccoon size baffle. It gets mounted very close to the bottom of the box. Raccoon baffles are about 8″ in diameter by 28″ long. Remember that it has to wobble.
Gin
Atlanta, GAJuly 13, 2017 at 5:02 pm #5571And for me, snakes are my issue. A rat snake can climb that baffle in no time. It’s always something!
July 13, 2017 at 5:08 pm #5572So this kind isn’t good? This is the one I have and it’s wobbly. I tried to add a direct link, but it didn’t work. It’s on Amazon at this URL: https://www.amazon.com/Woodlink-NABAF18-Audubon-Squirrel-18-Inch/dp/B0010QD5QO/ref=pd_sim_86_6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=G6E4450KY9MCVA5EJZTQ
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This reply was modified 7 years, 9 months ago by
verachuckdave.
Susan
PennsylvaniaJuly 13, 2017 at 7:45 pm #5578It’s better than nothing Susan. But the cylinder stove pipe baffle is better. Here’s what Sialis says about them. “Raccoons have been known to get around metal cone guards on poles, even those that are 36″ in diameter.” “To be effective against raccoons, a conical baffle (also called a Jensen-Arndt or “coolie hat” coon guard) needs to be at least 3 feet in diameter. Note that even this size does not deter large snakes (over five feet long) well. Conical baffles may be harder to make, more expensive, and less effective than a stovepipe baffle, and sharp edges can be a problem around children and during monitoring. Some raccoons learn to get around them. However, they are probably the easiest baffle to put up when a nestbox is mounted on a wooden post.”
Tammy
July 13, 2017 at 8:23 pm #5579Thanks for the advice. I will look into either buying or making the cylinder type this weekend.
Susan
PennsylvaniaJuly 13, 2017 at 9:28 pm #5582I found a video of a raccoon getting around a baffle like yours. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifKQh08ZagQ He was up there eating seed in no time.
Gin
Atlanta, GAJuly 14, 2017 at 11:02 am #5587THat’s so scary!!!
July 14, 2017 at 12:13 pm #5589WBU.com has a wobbling raccoon baffle on their website. About to order. Will let you know how easy it is to install. I have their pole so that may make a difference.
July 14, 2017 at 12:14 pm #5590Gin’s video just scared me to pieces. I hope it works with the Krueger trap.
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