Raccoons Emptying Your Bird Feeders at Night

If your feeders are empty or on the ground by morning, a raccoon is the likely culprit, since squirrels feed by day. Bring feeders in at night or move them to a smooth pole with a baffle, and clean up spilled seed below.

Many backyard birders blame squirrels for every missing scoop of seed. Squirrels do eat plenty, but they sleep at night. When the damage happens between dusk and dawn, it is usually a raccoon, and raccoons need a different fix.

How do you know it is a raccoon and not a squirrel?

Timing is the biggest clue. If a feeder is full at sunset and empty at sunrise, something ate while the squirrels were asleep. Raccoons also leave signs that squirrels rarely do:

Hooks bent or pulled straight, and feeders pulled down to the ground. Lids pried open or feeder ports chewed and twisted. Muddy, hand-like prints on the pole, deck railing, or patio. Suet cages emptied completely in one night.

A raccoon is strong enough to bend a light shepherd's hook and clever enough to open many latches. If your feeder is being dismantled rather than nibbled, think raccoon.

Why are feeders such a draw in late fall?

Raccoons eat heavily in fall as they build reserves for colder weather. Bird seed, suet, and the pile of spilled hulls under a feeder are high-calorie food in one easy spot, often right next to shrubs, a deck, or a fence that gives them cover. Once a raccoon learns that your feeder is reliable, it will check it every night.

How do you stop raccoons at the feeder?

The goal is to make the feeder impossible to reach after dark and remove the leftovers that keep a raccoon coming back.

• Bring feeders in at dusk: The simplest fix. Hang them again in the morning and the birds will not mind.
• Use a smooth metal pole with a cone baffle: A tall, smooth pole with a wide baffle below the feeder blocks climbing far better than a hook or a tree branch.
• Keep the pole away from launch points: Place it well away from fences, deck railings, roofs, and overhanging branches so a raccoon cannot climb something nearby and reach across.
• Clean up spilled seed: Rake or sweep under the feeder in the evening, or use a seed tray, so there is nothing on the ground at night.
• Skip suet in the evening: Offer suet in the morning and bring it in before dark. It is one of the strongest attractants in the yard.

Will the raccoon move on if the feeder is gone?

Often, yes. Raccoons follow easy food, and once the feeder stops paying off they tend to shift their route elsewhere. If one keeps working the yard after the seed is gone, look for other food sources: trash cans without tight lids, pet food left on the porch, fallen fruit, or a compost pile. The feeder may have been only one stop on a longer route through your property.

When does trapping make sense?

If a raccoon keeps raiding the yard after you have removed the feeder and other food, trapping may be the next step. Check local regulations first, since rules for trapping and relocating raccoons vary by state and city. Keep in mind that feeder areas attract more than raccoons. Cats hunt birds near feeders, and opossums clean up spilled seed, so any trap set nearby has a real chance of catching a non-target. You want to know what is in the trap quickly.

How does OcuTrap help birders?

OcuTrap sends a real-time photo alert the moment an animal is caught, so you know whether it is the raccoon or a neighbor's cat. If it is a non-target, you can release it from the app without going out into the yard in the dark. Its cellular connection works at the far end of the yard where Wi-Fi may not reach.

Keep feeding the birds without feeding the raccoons. Find out how at ocutrap.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do raccoons eat bird seed?

Yes. Raccoons eat bird seed, suet, and the spilled hulls under feeders, especially in fall when they are eating heavily before winter. They feed at night and can bend hooks, pry open lids, and pull feeders to the ground. Bringing feeders in at dusk and cleaning up spilled seed are the most reliable fixes.

What is the best baffle to stop raccoons from climbing a feeder pole?

A wide cone or cylinder baffle mounted on a smooth metal pole, below the feeder, works best against raccoons. The pole should be well away from fences, decks, roofs, and branches so the raccoon cannot climb something nearby and reach across. Raccoons are strong climbers, so a narrow squirrel baffle may not be enough.

Will removing my bird feeder hurt the birds?

Bringing a feeder in overnight does not affect birds, which feed during the day. If you need to take feeders down for a longer stretch to break a raccoon's habit, birds will find other natural food and usually return when you put feeders back up. Many birders simply feed in the morning and bring feeders in at dusk.

Can I tell a raccoon from an opossum at my feeder?

Raccoons usually do the climbing and damage, bending hooks and pulling feeders down. Opossums more often clean up spilled seed on the ground and leave few signs. Raccoon tracks look like small hands with long toes, while opossum hind feet have a thumb-like toe that points sideways.