Birds Choice Classic Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder with Pole Mount | Tube Bird Feeder for Cardinals, Chickadees, Woodpeckers | Sturdy Steel for Long-Lasting Use | Backyard Bird Seed Dispenser | Green

These WERE built to last but my last product was purchased in 2006. My first one was purchased in 1992 before I had my first computer and is outside today. I have another outside that is my 2006 Amazon purchase. . I have read several comments and viewed some photos of bird feeders that failed and from those reviews it is unlikely the quality is the same as in the past. The present ones are reportedly not built as the past ones, One reviewer showed the poles failing due to seams in poles that unwrapped . That could not happen on the one I purchased, my tubing was hefty and had no seams. . Another talked about the weld failing for the floor-pole connection, My connections was well done I do not think it was welded. The bottom may have been formed from a single piece. When the bird feeder is emptied I will check on this and update the review. I was sorry to hear that too. Lesser manufacturing costs means lesser quality products. I suggest you read the lousy reports before you make the decision to purchase. Sometimes manufactures think nobody will know if I cut costs here. Sorry, sir they will now know. Please look at your purchase and ask yourself -"will this last me? Is it a good value? Since my purchase was in 2006, I cannot answer that question today. I did not really note any critical reviews of present construction someone needs to give a detailed analysis of present manufacturing. However this has some very nice features ,that I do want to talk about. Maybe some of my observations will make your feeders last longer. The first one I purchased was through the Audubon Society over 20 -25 years ago, . I am still using it. I try to check the feeders in spring and autumn. Since purchase, metal was spray painted a few times (including the bottom of the food chamber inside the lexan and underneath inside the baffle. Bottom of feeding chamber WAS GALVANIZED!, ( I hope they still do that . if it is not galvanized your floor will rust through in less than 3-4 years. Personally, If it is not galvanized i would send back the feeder, and purchase a different variety!!!) Even if the floor is galvanized, after years of use rust can form. If rust is noted clean feeder, spray paint the floor with Rustoleum. Tape off Lexan when spray painting . Inspect the bottom of the floor inside the baffle, sand lightly and spray the inside with Rustoleum. I spray the bottom skirt and cap to keep the colors nice and fresh. The plastic does become slightly cloudy over the years ( probably related to UV in sunlight). It has never cracked. Please note the plastic is a UV resistant Lexan. The capacity of the feed chamber is great. I can fill this up before a winter storm and the birds are fed for 4-5 days. I hope the feeding ports where the perches attach and surround the feeding hole openings are still made from metal.. My initial feeders purchased in the 1990's had plastic around the feeding port sand these failed. They deteriorated due to UV in the sunshine became frail and broke off. . The Audubon Society sold this feeder and it offered metal replacements for the feeding ports. I purchased these . They are great and have lasted over 20 years. If the piece around the feeding port and perches are plastic, then this is an area that where manufacturing is cost cutting. Beware! if squirrels get on your feeder they will chew through the plastic around the hole and easily chomp into the lexan and your feeder will be a total loss. I purchased two more feeders in 2006 from Amazon. These feeders had the metal piece around feeding holes and perches screwed into this metal piece. These were the same as the updated perches I purchased for the original feeder. I added one feeder outside, and still have one boxed as a spare. I have not needed to replace the original one yet. As to the design , it is wonderful. Place the feeders away from fences and trees so the squirrels cannot jump down from above. On the adjoining vacant property, there are small crabapple trees( 10 to 15 feet tall) about 10 feet away, so the branches must be kept trimmed. Any squirrel attack launching points are eliminated. The lower squirrel baffle is integrated into the design of the feeder, It is the metal below the perches. That cylinder of metal is of sufficient diameter that the squirrels cannot get a grip onto it and climb the final foot of height to the perches. If you were inclined, a similar diameter baffles are commercially available or a piece of 6" diameter metal ductwork (maybe 14-16 inches long could be used with wood internal spacers) could be used. You can add this feature to any feeder. No need to grease poles anymore ,cause the lower baffle keeps the squirrels from climbing to the feeding area. Now, the baffle will not stop raccoons, as they are bigger guys. The poles that came with this in 2006 were in 3 pieces and fitted together well. They had a galvanized coating, solid with no seams Over the years they needed repainting and some rust formed on the bottom of the post, Ithese were so sturdy I could hammer them INTO the ground. But as the posts aged, I found an easier way. I now purchase a section of rebar about 3-4 feet. (diameter is 1/2 inch). That is hammered 1/2 way into the ground. I drilled a hole into a paver and placed that at the bottom of the base where rebar enters ground. I slide pole over rebar. It remains very solid even during winter. Paver keeps pole bottom drier and the bottom of the pole is less likely to rust out. One other thing, if you remove pole cover from the rebar, please cover the end of the rebar with a tennis ball. Do not leave rebar above ground without a plastic cover or tennis ball covering the end. Rebar would be difficult to see standing vertically. since rebar is not galvanized the rebar will rust. If your posts are seamed and lightweight. I saw photos in another review that failed as the pole split at the seam. I suspect this was with the weight of a fat raccoon. If you have raccoons in area either replace pole or reinforcement with several stainless hose clamps at the joints might be helpful. I want to mention the perches may seem short. This feeder is meant for the birds smaller than a cardinal. Cardinals can use the perches. Blue Jays and Grackles cannot for more than a second or two. Larger birds tend to lose their balance and fly away. If you only want to feed the smaller birds, you can take the perches off. I just screw the perch backwards and perch is inside baffle and screw nut is on the outside. the baffle. That way I don't misplace the pieces.) Personally I turn around two perches on each feeder, I want my cardinals to use the feeders too.. With the perch removed, the smaller birds grab onto the metal hole. Yes, they don't need the perches. Chickadees sparrows, tufted titmice, goldfinches will grab. I get large woodpeckers such as the red bellied woodpecker (10inch length) and they can easily feed without the perch. I feed all winter and into the spring to see the parents bring their new fledglings to the feeder. Please note the holes to the feeder are small but a very tiny inexperienced or hungry bird can get into the feeder and get trapped there. Over the years I had two. One I noted and rescued , the other was not as fortunate, it died. PLEASE, take down the feeder if you are not going to refill it. I also made some plugs to close up the feeding holes. So I don't misplace these I keep them in a plastic bag and I keep that bag in the bottom of the bird seed bin. They are made of the foam pipe insulation. An 8 foot piece of this foam cost about a buck You only need pieces about 4 inches long for each opening. I use one feeders for the general mix and the other safflower seed and black sunflower seed. Try other feeders with different seed, they will attract other bird varieties to your back yard. I do want to admit the squirrels get their due with corn and peanuts on the ground. They can eat the bird seed on the ground with the other birds that do not use the feeders well, dark eyed juncos and chipping sparrows and morning doves. but I do not want them on my feeders, Squirrels can chew holes into the feeder to get the seed, then your feeder is destroyed. I also have a thistle feeder for the goldfinches and a suet feeder. The thistle feeder, hang it higher to keep the deer from tonguing the holes to get the thistle. The suet feeder is an what I call an upside down one. I made my own suet feeder with a block of wood 2" thick and size 5"x5" ( larger than the wire cage suet feeder you are planning to use), a cheap wire cage suet feeder and put a round, domed above the feeder baffle I attached the wire suet cage to the block of wood and that to the the domed baffle using a stainless eye screw. Hang this from branches that will not support a raccoon's weight. The suet cage lies horizontally along the block of wood. The birds need to fly and grab to the suet cage that is under it. This is the best suet feeder ever. You get mainly the woodpeckers and acrobatic little birds using it. Chickadees, tufted titmice a few sparrows, nuthatch, and all the woodpeckers. Rare cardinal or bluejays. use it If you have some space neaby put in some crabapple trees and hawthorns. (Keep the trees at least 12-15 feet away from this squirrel resistant feeder.) The robins, cedar waxwings and others will feast on the frozen fruit during the winter till it is gone. Enjoy the winter, FEED the birds. Yes, this is great kitten entertainment too. For me there is nothing better than to be inside on a snowy day, watching.

Nature Products NP431 is an amazing feeder. It holds 1.2 gallons of seeds and makes the birds feel right at home. This is the second one I’ve purchased this year; because it attracts so many birds that one is not enough. I have bought an extra 22” section of pole for each one so that I can watch my feathered friends through the picture window while sitting down in my Lazy-boy. I also purchased a 12” ground socket to sink it more securely in the ground. I live in Connecticut and have watched American Goldfinches, Black-capped Chickadees, Blue Jays, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Downy Woodpeckers, Eastern Towhees, Hairy Woodpeckers, House Finches, Northern Cardinals, Purple Finches, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Tufted Titmice and White-breasted Nuthatches using this feeder. No squirrels have ever been able to get onto it. When filling the feeder I separate a section of the pole, take the feeder down, and tip it upside-down to empty out any shells and dust before filling it; so that nothing nasty starts collecting inside. I cut the top off of a one-gallon water jug and use that to fill the feeder. The only problem that I’ve experienced with the first feeder was that the perches were not tightened down properly by the manufacturer; so they very quickly separated from the feeder and turned sideways blocking the openings. I straightened them back up and tightened the nuts, up inside the squirrel baffle, using a 10-millimeter box wrench, and have not had a problem since. The perches were also all very loose on the second one that I purchased; but I tightened them up before putting it outside. This is not a terrible problem; especially if you can take care of it before putting it outside. I love that this feeder is the same color as my John Deere tractor.

I've had many bird feeders over the years and the squirrels and deer always get into them. All the bird seed would end up on the ground and eaten by said squirrels and deer, and I'd be refilling the bird feeder ALL THE TIME. All of that is a thing of the past. This feeder has managed to keep out the deer and squirrels and leave the seed to the birds. Since putting it out when I got it almost three months ago, I haven't needed to refill the feeder until today! It holds a substantial amount of seed and is quite easy to fill. I'm very happy with my purchase. Despite the higher price tag, I've definitely saved on the cost of bird seed.

I ordered 2 of these in succession to replace my 20+ year old one from the original parent company. My original one had been mauled by a bear in my yard but it survived relatively unscathed. It was then dragged off from my yard altogether by the bear a week later. I immediately ordered a new feeder that got destroyed by another bear the following week. So I ordered a second new one and now I just take it in at night. It’s definitely still squirrel-proof when mounted far enough away from anything they can climb & jump from. That's great, but I must say that the construction of the new ones is much flimsier than my original. Clear tube used to be a very hard Plexi-glass material but this new one is much thinner and can easily warp/bend. This had no chance of ever holding up to a bear. I should have realized this but it took bear #2 wrecking it (& needing to spend another $50 or something) to teach me the lesson. Holds a lot of seed but not quite as much. Green part of tube was also made better in past. So, it still works, but like everything else, quality of item has suffered.

This is our third identical feeder. Every one has worked like a charm but after a few years, these units start to look a little weathered. They are still 100% functional. We change solely for cosmetic reasons. That said, this is a great feeder. The birds seem to love it. Its design seems to discourage the larger birds, like Jays, so they feed for a few seconds and then move on. This prevents the large birds from dominating the feeder. The small birds feed at will and seem very happy. Most importantly, this feeder proves to be virtually squirrel-proof. We have had dozens of different squirrels try over the years, but so far none has been able to get to the food. The best any squirrel has ever done is violently shake the pole to cause seed spillage. (The pole that comes with the unit is short and flimsy) We solved that issue by replacing the included pole with jury-rigged painters extension pole. The more sturdy pole design stopped the shaking issue. Overall, highly recommended.

We have watched the squirrels attempt to climb up this feeder and they can but only so far. Once they get past the pole there is nothing for them to hold on to and they just fall. They try to problem solve but the engineering of this feeder is excellent and they can't hold on anywhere. They will eat the seed that drops to the ground and they are content with that. It's really a win win for the birds and squirrels. There is a constant flow of birds all day long. I couldn't be happier with this feeder! It holds a lot of food, is extremely high quality for the price, and very attractive in the yard. I'm impressed! I will buy this for my dad's birthday as he's a bird feeder connoisseur. It is truly the best squirrel proof feeder I've seen and the only one that has actually worked!

Compared to other tube feeders, this has a design flaw. The holes for seed access are a little big and there is no "dam" at the bottom of the hole to keep the seed from spilling out. So if the pole isn't perfectly vertical, any bird grabbing one seed will cause dozens to fall. Even if the pole is perfectly vertical, this same design flaw means that this will still happen, just not as much. And as the feeder just "floats" on the pole, a squirrel or racoon trying to climb up it will fail, but that also means the seed falls out due to this issue, so... they get their reward anyway.

First off, we liked our first one so well, that we bit the bullet when the cost was raised and purchased another one, two years after the first one. The first one was purchased in 2021, second in 2023. The squirrels are, for the most part, thwarted. There has been one or two overly clever ones! We find it easy to fill, holds a bunch of seed(sunflower) and keeps it dry during inclement weather. Two problems though with this nearly perfect product. The durability is negligible. The one we purchased in 2021, beginning to rust and the metal ports are falling out from the plastic. Yes, it had been outdoors for 3 years, in the south, with varying weather conditions. Second, and the scariest, our birds are greedy, the Chickadees especially. We have had 3 of them get trapped in the feeder when it was low, one fatally. Maybe there was a warning in directions to keep full, or remove till able to fill, I am not for certain, so not casting any blame, just be aware, birds can get trapped!!!!! I am not sorry for having purchased, it did suit our needs, just passing on some hindsight knowledge for thought when considering purchasing this product.

We have this feeder in our back yard for about two weeks. It was fun watching the squirrels trying to get the feed, they didn’t succeed yet. Hopefully they won’t. Our small birds found this feeder right away. It holds quite a bit of feed, it probably will have to be filled every two weeks, if not more, depending on the quantity of birds.

Bird feeder. So far no squirrels.

Item as advertised....great product. The birds love it; squirrels not so happy

Great bird feeder . Squirrels and chipmunks can not get at it . It is only good for small to medium size birds as the purchase are too small. It would be great if they had one a little bit bigger for the larger birds to feed.

Best squirrel proof feeder I've ever owned. The only birds not able to balance are the Mourning Doves, rounded chest bounces them off. I put seed on the ground for them. Would recommend.