6 Best Smart Suet Feeders For Attracting Nuthatches That Outsmart Squirrels
Discover 6 smart suet feeders designed to attract nuthatches. These models use clever, weight-activated mechanics to finally outsmart persistent squirrels.
You hang a fresh suet cake, hoping to see the quick, acrobatic movements of a nuthatch, only to find a fat, happy squirrel has devoured it an hour later. This isn’t just a minor annoyance; it’s a waste of feed and a missed opportunity to support your local bird population. The battle for the suet feeder is a classic backyard challenge, but the right gear can turn the tide in favor of the birds.
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Why Nuthatches Love Suet (And Squirrels Do Too)
Suet is pure, high-octane fuel for birds. This rendered fat provides a dense source of calories that’s especially critical for small birds like nuthatches trying to survive a cold winter night. They burn an incredible amount of energy just to stay warm, and a few pecks of suet can make all the difference.
Nuthatches are part of a group of birds known as "clingers." You’ll see them, along with woodpeckers and chickadees, gripping the side of a tree or a feeder, often upside down, as they search for food. This unique behavior gives them an edge in nature, and it’s a key weakness we can exploit when choosing a feeder to deter squirrels.
Of course, that same high-energy food is a magnet for squirrels. They are opportunistic and incredibly intelligent, viewing your bird feeder as their personal, all-you-can-eat buffet. The central challenge isn’t just feeding the nuthatches; it’s exclusively feeding the nuthatches while sending the squirrels packing.
Squirrel Buster Suet: Weight-Activated Protection
This feeder works on a simple, brilliant principle: weight. The suet cage is surrounded by a shroud that nuthatches can easily perch on. But when a heavier animal, like a squirrel, hops on, its weight pulls the shroud down, closing off access to the suet.
The real genius is in the adjustability. You can often calibrate the spring mechanism to close for a squirrel but stay open for a heavier bird like a Downy Woodpecker. It’s a durable, effective design that requires no batteries or power. The mechanism is purely mechanical, making it a reliable workhorse in the yard.
The main tradeoff is price and maintenance. These feeders represent an investment, and you’ll need to occasionally clean them to ensure the mechanism doesn’t get gummed up with dirt or suet residue. A very clever squirrel might also learn to hang from a branch above and reach the suet without putting its full weight on the trigger, so placement is still key.
Droll Yankees Flipper: A Spinning Squirrel Deterrent
If you want a definitive, and frankly entertaining, solution, the Flipper is it. This feeder uses a weight-activated, battery-powered motor. When a squirrel lands on the perch ring, the whole feeder begins to spin, gently flinging the intruder off.
It’s incredibly effective against squirrels that attack from the perch. Birds are too light to trigger the motor, so they can feed peacefully. Watching a squirrel get a harmless, dizzying ride before giving up is a reward in itself. The rechargeable battery holds a good charge, even in the cold.
However, this is a premium tool with a premium price tag. It requires you to remember to bring the battery in for charging every so often. And its primary defense is the spinning perch; it offers little protection from a squirrel that can drop down directly onto the top of the feeder from a branch above, bypassing the trigger mechanism entirely.
Nature’s Way Upside-Down Feeder for Clingers
This feeder outsmarts squirrels not with technology, but with biology. The design is simple: a solid roof protects the suet cake from above, and the wire cage is only open on the bottom. There are no perches for a squirrel to sit on.
This plays directly to the nuthatch’s strengths. Nuthatches, chickadees, and woodpeckers have no problem clinging upside down to eat, just as they would on the underside of a tree branch. Most squirrels, however, find this position awkward and difficult to maintain for long, and they typically give up and move on.
This is a great, low-cost, no-maintenance option, but it’s not foolproof. A particularly athletic and determined squirrel can and will learn to hang on for a quick meal. It also means you’ll exclude birds that aren’t natural clingers, so if you enjoy watching bluebirds or jays sample the suet, this design will keep them away, too.
Roamwild PestOff Suet Ball Feeder: Smart Design
Instead of a single shroud, the Roamwild feeder uses individually sprung perches for each feeding port. When a squirrel puts its weight on a perch, a cover slides down, blocking access only to that specific port. The others remain open for the birds.
This design is specifically made for suet balls, which are a great, no-mess option that nuthatches and other small birds love. The built-in weather guard on top helps keep the suet balls dry and fresh, which is a significant advantage in wet climates. It’s a targeted defense system that works well.
The main consideration is that you’re locked into using suet balls, not standard cakes. While you can make your own, it’s a different supply chain than the common suet cakes available everywhere. Like any mechanical feeder, the ports can get sticky with suet residue and require periodic cleaning to function smoothly.
Woodlink Absolute II: A Two-Sided Suet Fortress
The name says it all. The Absolute II is a heavy, all-metal feeder that looks and acts like a vault. It features two suet cages, one on each side, protected by a weight-sensitive perch that slams a metal door shut when a squirrel steps on it.
Its biggest advantage is durability and capacity. Holding two cakes means less frequent refilling, and the powder-coated steel construction will stand up to years of weather and squirrel abuse. The perch is also adjustable, allowing you to lock out not just squirrels but also larger, heavier birds like starlings or grackles if they become a problem.
This is not a subtle feeder; it’s big, heavy, and has an industrial look. Its weight requires a very sturdy hook or pole for mounting. Cleaning all the internal corners of the mechanism can also be a bit of a chore, but for sheer, brute-force effectiveness, it’s hard to beat.
Birds Choice Caged Feeder: Simple, Secure Access
Sometimes the simplest solution is the best. This feeder consists of a basic suet cage surrounded by an outer cage of sturdy wire mesh. It’s a physical barrier, plain and simple.
The concept relies on sizing. The gaps in the outer cage are large enough for small birds like nuthatches, finches, and chickadees to slip through, but too small for gray squirrels to enter. There are no moving parts to fail, no batteries to charge, and no springs to adjust. It’s an affordable and highly reliable option.
The key is to check the cage spacing. A very small red squirrel or a chipmunk might be able to squeeze through if the mesh is too wide. This design also effectively excludes larger, desirable birds like Pileated Woodpeckers who can’t fit through the outer cage, so it’s a tradeoff between total security and bird variety.
Suet Types and Placement for Nuthatch Success
The best squirrel-proof feeder in the world won’t work if you put it in the wrong place. Your feeder should be positioned at least 10 feet away from any "launch point" like a deck railing, fence, or overhanging tree branch from which a squirrel can jump. A pole with a baffle is your best bet.
For nuthatches specifically, try placing the feeder near the trunk of a mature tree. This mimics their natural environment of foraging along bark and makes them feel more secure. They are more likely to visit a feeder that feels like a safe extension of their habitat.
Finally, consider the suet itself. While any suet is good, nuthatches are particularly drawn to blends that include peanuts or other nuts. Pure, rendered suet is excellent for the dead of winter. Avoid the cheap "no-melt" suet doughs that are mostly filler like cornmeal or millet; you’re paying for high-quality fat, so make sure that’s what you’re getting.
Outsmarting squirrels isn’t about finding a single magic bullet, but about understanding behavior—both the squirrel’s persistence and the nuthatch’s natural abilities. By choosing a feeder that leverages a nuthatch’s clinging prowess or a squirrel’s weight against it, you can reclaim your feeding station. The result is less frustration for you and a reliable food source for the birds you actually want to attract.
