Knut, our backyard bear, emerged from his winter slumber when the songbirds returned for spring migration.
So what was first on his to-do list?
Plundering our bird feeders, of course.
Knut bends the metal pole with great ease.
Protecting Your Feeders From Backyard Bears
According to the NYS DEC, birdseed, even in small quantities, is high in protein and fat. It takes less effort to obtain calories from a bird feeder than to forage for natural foods.
Bears that successfully find birdseed at one home will inevitably approach other homes. If they become accustomed to feeding in yards and around homes and people, they may cause property damage and will likely become chronic nuisances.
DEC recommends that bird feeding activities cease by April 1 and resume on November 30 if you live in bear country.
Or, if you’re like us and enjoy feeding the birds, especially during spring migration, we recommend bringing feeders in at night and putting them back out at 5am to keep your songbirds happy.