Additional information about chescofeeder could not be loaded.
Location: Chesco, PA
Pretty Good Feeder
Date:May 3, 2012
Agree that the feeder is a little difficult to refill. I climb a ladder and remove top, as had difficulty replacing from bottom. The first night it was installed, an animal, likely a raccoon, removed the chain and allowed the unit to hit the ground, where the top and bottom were removed and bent. Now, I use bungee cords to secure the top and bottom to the cage, and use very heavy weedwacker plastic string to secure the chain to a limb which is 6 feet above the unit.
Gray squirrels jump down on the unit, but I have not seen any get to the sunflower seeds. However, red squirrels have no difficulty jumping onto the feeder, and easily fit through the cage and access the seed. Likewise, starlings, grackles and blackbirds have no problem feeding and chasing the more desirable birds.
Overall, the feeder is attractive and well-built. Relocating the cage out another inch from the plastic feed reservoir might eliminate the blackbirds from taking over, but the red squirrels would be able to gain entry even if the cage opening diameter was reduced, and doing so would, unfortunately, prevent woodpeckers and cardinals from getting to the seed.
Squirrels can jump 8 feet horizontally, so I have removed most limbs near all our birdfeeders, and will experiment with a large pivoting squirrel baffle above this feeder.
Additional information about happycamper2 could not be loaded.
Location: Eastern Panhandle, WV
Beautiful feeder, but still no birds
Date:April 22, 2012
Love the look of the feeder, and though filling it could be easier (the central tube pulls out through the bottom and then has to be replaced, turning it until it catches), it's not that bad (and the feeder holds a lot of seed). However, the birds that used to flock to the feeder have disappeared - it's been about a week, and they aren't coming back. It did get rid of the starlings that were driving the other birds away, and we'll give it another couple of weeks and hope the others come back and get used to it. If not, we may go back to our old non-starling-proof feeder.
Additional information about 1Birdwatcher could not be loaded.
Location: Roxbury, New York
Royal Wing® Wire Round Leaf Feeder, Squirrel Proof
Date:March 21, 2012
I have owned several varieties of squirrel proof feeders. Many stood the test of time and critters. This is by far the sturdiest feeder I have purchased. I bought this in early Fall of 2011. I live in bear country in the Catskills of New York. I bring in my feeders every evening until I know the bears are hibernating. Once in a while I slip up. On a few occasions this feeder was raided. I know for a fact that this feeder is raccoon proof, bear proof, as well as squirrel proof. Two weeks ago I huge raccoon decided to have a late night snack. He was so heavy that he broke the chain from which the feeder hangs. The design of this feeder is so good that even though he got it down from the shepherd's hook, he couldn't get the lid off. When a bear had pulled it down, he did manage to undo the lid and probably had the whole thing tipped back into his mouth like the Polar Bears in Coca Cola commercials. I do find maintainence easy as there is a round plate at the bottom of the plastic tube which unscrews. The top lid to fill the feeder is a bit cumbersome, but I fixed that by running a bead of vegetable oil around the edges which meet when removing/replacing the lid. I will buy another one soon since I am expanding my bird feeding station. I highly recommend this model for the purpose it was intended for and also the bonus toughness it has shown me. Please note that chipmunks and red squirrels can still wedge themselves inside the wire cage. Thankfully the ports are reinforced with metal so the little guys can't chew through the plastic tube. Much thought went into this feeder. I am very impressed!
Additional information about DixieTomboy could not be loaded.
Location: Central Alabama
Beautiful, but...
Date:August 28, 2010
This feeder is beautiful--I bought one as a gift. However, the recipient found it difficult to fil and almost impossible to clean. Now she uses it for display only--she still loves it, but for looks more than functionality.