Customer Reviews

Heritage Farms Absolute II Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

We are looking for another feeder, so when I got to this page I thought I would tell you why this is the one we're going to purchase.

We got our first `7536' feeder over 10 years and we still like it. For one thing it holds an entire grocery store size bag of sunflower seeds and for another the birds love it. Frequently both sides are filled with our feathered friends while there are others waiting in the tree for their turn. [Thus our interest in another feeder.]

Presently we have Chickadees, Nuthatches, Cardinals, House sparrows, Wrens, Gold finches, the occasional flicker and small woodpecker visiting. When we lived it Texas it was convenient to exclude those pesky, though attractive, jays.

Initially I think (okay--my memories a little faded after a decade!) it did keep the squirrels at bay, but that hasn't been the case for many years. In fact, our local `free-range' squirrel has the glossiest coat you can imagine. But we don't really care as he is so jealous of the feeder that he keeps other intruders away.

The lapse in squirrel-proof-ness is probably due to years of collected grime and dust that clog the springs. That and just the passage of time.

Four Stars. Our feeder is doing just fine after 10 years. I think the other reviewer is wrong in saying that this feeder is available for less money. I think what he has seen is the one sided version of this same feeder. I say this because we have searched around a bit in order to save money.

And about the squirrels--we saw a PBS special one time that showed what a gray squirrel would actually do for lunch. They had these squirrels climbing, jumping, and riding in little wagons through a long tube to get to a bird feeder. I concluded after watching those experiments that `proofing' was a ridiculous notion. LOL.

While a more effective deterrant than most feeders, the squirrels still win. We found that the squirrels would leap onto the feeder from a nearby fence and then open and shut the pressure sensitive pannels, causing seeds to spill out. Moving the feeder away from the fence caused them to just climb the pole and no squirrel baffle ever really works.

The good news is that the birds love it too, so just put up with the gray critters and enjoy.

This Absolute Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder is a clever idea, but it's not as clever as the local Einstein Squirrel who figured out how to hang from the roof of the feeder by one toe and eat his fill of sunflower seeds without putting any weight on the perches that are supposed to make the steel doors clank shut. That little genius immediately taught all of his friends how to beat the system, and now they take turns all day using the Absolute Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder as an Absolute Squirrel-Friendly Buffet Table. In my experience, this invention has been COMPLETELY ineffective.

This is as close as you'll ever get to squirrel-proof. Once in awhile, they get smart enough to hang from the top and grab one seed at a time, but seed loss is minimal as they eventually tire of this strategy. Since the birds usually spill plenty of seed on the ground, foraging at the base of the feeder becomes the preferred method for the critters. I have tried MANY feeders and this is the only one that works.

Over the years I've tried over a dozen different feeders, most ending up destroyed by squirrels. I now have 3 of this one. It holds a large amount of seed, allows us to set the tension differently for each perch (allowing the larger birds to only use 1 side) and one of the feeders has evened survived several visits from our local black bear. I use the included pole with a squirrel baffle. They don't even bother trying anymore!

My mother-in-law is very pleased with her new bird feeder. She was looking for something that would stop the squirrels and thus far this feeder has done the trick! It has definitely succeeded in confounding her most crafty of critters so far. We are extemely happy we purchased this product.

Nice feeder, easy to use and fill. NO SQUIRRELS and lots of birds. The birds took right to it that day! It is nice to see the birds on both sides of the feeder. Definitely recommended!

This feeder was bought to replace a Yankee Flipper (YF) whose battery, after several years, no longer would hold a charge. The new feeder hangs from a pole-arm as did the YF. I have only observed one instance where a squirrel climbed the pole and attempted to get at the food. Although the squirrel went through a whole range of contortions including hanging from one of the pivotable arm-shutters, it was totally frustrated. Watching was at least as amusing as seeing one flipped off the YF. It took several weeks before the (wild) birds realized food could be had from the feeder. One advantage over the YF is that there is significantly less spillage because seeds rest on a horizontal platform rather than pour from an open port.

Finally I've successfully defeated those crafty, sly gray 4 legged "robber barons". The Heritage Farms 7536 really works. And the bird population thanks you for it. Well done! Heritage Farms' Absolute Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder really works and that's no joke!

This is an attractive sturdy feeder. Holds a great deal of seed and is easy to fill. Birds can feed from both sides which increases the number of birds that can feed at one time. Adjustable squirrel and large bird feature really keeps them out. Feeder is built to last.