This $20 Feeder Will Bring the Birds to Your Yard All Winter Long and Keep Them Happy

Have you spent way too much time and energy trying to deter squirrels from bird feeders using crazy contraptions and repellent sprays? We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but those gimmicky gadgets usually don’t work. If your bird feeder has an ongoing squirrel problem, the solution isn’t to keep squirrels away—it’s actually to keep them busy.

The Gray Bunny Bird and Squirrel Tray, which we named “Best Budget” after putting six other Amazon bird feeders to the test, does just that. This low-to-the-ground platform feeder is designed with ground feeders in mind, so it’s known to attract ground-feeding birds like doves as well as bunnies, chipmunks, and squirrels. That means that not only do your sweet little local animals get fed, but it also means that the neighborhood squirrels will be so busy at this easy-access feeder that they’ll leave the hanging bird feeders alone. Finally!

Gray Bunny Bird and Squirrel Tray

Credit:

Amazon

One five-star reviewer wrote they “had a horrible problem with the squirrels getting in our hanging bird feeders and eating all the bird food. Got these, and the problem has been solved.” They said they “keep these [feeders] filled, and not only do the squirrels no longer get into the hanging bird feeders, but we’ve [also] added bunnies to our little creatures we feed.” Another commenter said theirs is “primarily used by doves, but also [blue] jays and a variety of small songbirds as well.”

Someone else reported peace in their own backyard, writing, “The squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, and birds are coexisting with this tray,” and said it provides “all-day entertainment watching them enjoy [it].” Another reviewer mentioned that even kitties enjoy watching it from indoors. “I placed it where my cat could watch through the slider— like cat TV,” they said.

If you feed the birds throughout spring and summer, you should know that it’s equally important to feed them during colder months, too. Birds—especially those that don’t fly south for the winter—come to rely on these food sources as temperatures drop and their once-available food sources become scarce. And as a big bonus, the feeder also keeps the bellies of other small critters full, too, which means lots of bird- and critter-watching year round. Speaking of year round, the bird feeder’s metal mesh material is another key reason why animal-lovers like this feeder so much. It self-drains rain, sleet, ice, and snow, making it the perfect all-weather option.

Someone wrote that they use this “feeder in the winter” for birds like cardinals. “Also, I needed something to hold the seeds up off the ground and ‘drain’ in the event of snow and/or sleet.” Another person said their feeder “has been through a few small rain showers and drains well without causing mold.” They also appreciate that it’s “very easy to move around and carry with seed in it,” and that they haven’t noticed any mess on “the ground around the feeder.”

The Gray Bunny Bird and Squirrel Tray does double-duty as a ground-level bird feeder and a squirrel deterrent—plus, it naturally drains rain without any mold buildup. Buy it now while it’s on sale at Amazon for $20, and shop more of our favorite bird feeders below.