The 5 Best Squirrel Baffles That Actually Work

The number one threat to your bird feeders often turns out to be squirrels. The little rodents have no problem ruining all the planning and preparation you’ve put into attracting birds to your yard.

If you want to see your seeds succeed and your bird feeders feed, then you’ll want to invest in the best squirrel baffle. This simple tool is your Great Wall fending off the hordes of invading squirrels. Even just a pair of hungry squirrels can make a week’s worth of seed disappear in 2 days. A squirrel baffle can help fend off each and every squirrel, however many pop in, and save you the cost and effort of constantly re-supplying birdseed.

Squirrel baffles can come in many shapes and sizes, including wrap-around, torpedo or pole-mounted styles made from plastic or steel, but their purpose is one and the same: to be the obstacle which makes would-be seed thieves fail.

Hanging or pole-mounted baffles placed above the feeder work to block out squirrels jumping from another perch to access seeds from above. Torpedo and wrap-around baffles fixed beneath the feeder block squirrels climbing the pole to steal seeds from below. There is no single baffle that is the best squirrel baffle – it all depends on your specific needs.

Homeowners have devised clever DIY solutions for denying squirrels, and the marketplace has provided dozens of excellent options which may be purchased. Since the investment in a squirrel baffle can pay for itself in just a week or two, here we have listed below the best squirrel baffles available to buy.

Impatient? Don’t want to wait to buy the best squirrel baffle and keep those squirrels away? Here’s a list of our top picks for squirrels baffles:

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Our Favorites

• Best Wrap-Around: Woodlink Wrap Around Squirrel Baffle
• Best Torpedo: Audubon Torpedo Steel Squirrel Baffle
• Best Hanging or Pole-Mounted: Squirrel Guard Baffle
• Best Looking: Woodlink Brushed Copper Weather Shield
• Best for 4×4 Post: Woodlink Post Mount Squirrel Baffle

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Keep reading for in-depth description and reviews of each squirrel baffle.

The Best Squirrel Baffles of Each Type

Best Wrap-Around: Woodlink Wrap Around Squirrel Baffle

Why is it the best?

Superior production quality and ease of use mark this baffle as the best for any standard-sized pole or shepherds hook (from ½ to 13/8 inches). Made from lightweight steel and enhanced with a smooth, textured powder-coated surface, this easy-install baffle shuts down even the craftiest squirrel’s A-game while remaining totally weatherproof and staying strong for the long haul.

Where stubborn squirrels are known to chew through hard plastics, they have no luck meeting this baffle’s solid steel. Where acrobatic squirrels are known to perform pull-ups to overcome obstacles, they have no luck meeting this baffle’s slick powder-coating (they slide right off). In other words, none of your typical squirrel tricks succeed in the face of this straightforward but sophisticated device.

Take care to position your baffle at least 4 to 5 feet (1.2 – 1.5 meters) off the ground to rule out squirrels simply leaping past it to higher parts of the pole, and if you don’t have a second baffle up top, keep your feeder more than 11 feet (3 meters) away from other potential perches to prevent squirrels from jumping over and attacking from above. With an ideal location, squirrels will have no ability to approach your feeder from above, below or any other direction.

To install, simply attach the black coupler to your pole and snap the sides of the baffle together over it. As long as your coupler is secured tightly and the sides of the baffle are tucked into one another snugly, then your feeder defense system is a go. With a bit of TLC in the form of occasionally hosing off bird waste and checking in on the coupler’s tight connection, this baffle is set to last you years.

This baffle is the overall best squirrel baffle for most people.

Best Torpedo: Audubon Torpedo Steel Squirrel Baffle

Why is it the best?

This baffle repeats many of the benefits of the above wrap-around style with a different look and feel. Though the torpedo shape may catch your eye for purely aesthetic reasons, you won’t be disappointed by its practical effectiveness.

Made of the same robust, lightweight steel as the wrap-around, the torpedo features slippery smooth powder-coated texturing and its dimensions – 15.8 inches high combined with a 6.125 inch diameter – make for an impassable barrier to climbing squirrels.

Remember to position this one at least 5 feet up your pole, as well, and move it about 11 feet from other squirrel launch points. You might even enjoy the show as squirrels scramble up to the torpedo with brazen confidence, only to grab the powder-coated steel and slide right back off to the ground.

For installation, attach the coupler and simply slide the torpedo down your standard ½ in to 13/8 in pole and set it in place. You may need to temporarily remove your birdfeeder to access the top of the pole for this. If you haven’t fixed your birdfeeder’s pole in the ground yet, you could also slide the torpedo up the pole first, from the bottom, and install the coupler under it before bringing the torpedo back down. Feel free to go with whichever option is easiest for you.

With such a simple installation, high percentage of success and long-lasting durability, this baffle is another excellent choice.

Best Hanging or Pole-mounted: Squirrel Guard Baffle

Why is it the best?

Steel reigns supreme for squirrel baffles, particularly for those of the hanging style. Whereas plastic baffles are reported by some to fall and shatter in high winds and reported by others to get chomped through within days, steel shows no such weakness.

Placing this baffle above your feeder, you can expect to not only lock out aerial attack squirrels but also keep the weather at bay, preserving your seeds in the face of rain or snowfall. With 17 inches of coverage, this baffle can reliably keep your seeds dry and edible in the wet or wintry seasons, saving you even more on birdseed resupply.

Install by mounting above a coupler in a similar fashion to the other baffles listed above, or attach it to the hook hardware included and hang it along with your hanging bird feeder.

Ultimately, this galvanized steel baffle will provide all of the protection and durability that you need in quality squirrel protection.

Honorable Mention: Woodlink Brushed Copper Weather Shield

For an even more aesthetically pleasing touch, consider this artistic solution from Woodlink. Though labeled for weather, this hanging metal shield can serve just as well as a squirrel baffle.

With 18 inches of coverage and sturdy construction, this baffle brings the benefits of both precipitation and squirrel protection. You can enjoy the bonus of its beautiful embossed tree leaves and brushed copper coloring when you look out over your yard.

Installation is a piece of cake with an included hook assembly for hanging, and once you have it up, you’re bound to love how this baffle just blends in with the natural surroundings.

Honorable Mention: Woodlink Post Mount Squirrel Baffle

For a larger bird feeder-supporting pole or post, you’ll want to acquire a larger baffle suited for such size. This wrap-around baffle from Woodlink gets the job done, with a design that suits 4” x 4” posts and provides the same protection that you expect from a high quality baffle.

Made with reliable powder-coated steel, it will stand the test of time and keep unwanted squirrels far away from your seeds.

Install by wrapping it around and snapping the seams together, then screwing in the 4 included Philips flat head screws.

Summary of the Best Squirrel Baffles

Secure your seeds with a squirrel baffle, preferably one made of lightweight, textured steel. In all of our recommendations, we have purposefully chosen against plastic, as the track record shows steel to outperform plastic in terms of durability and longevity. By saving yourself trips to re-buy seeds and baffles, you’ll being doing yourself a massive monetary favor, and by choosing the right baffle solution for your yard’s needs, you’ll be allowing yourself to enjoy a bounty of visiting birds undisturbed by squirrely seed thieves.