Squirrel Buster Plus Squirrel-proof Bird Feeder w/Cardinal Ring and 6 Feeding Ports, 5.1-pound Seed Capacity, Adjustable, Pole-mountable (POLE ADAPTOR SOLD SEPARATELY), Green

Product overview

Brome Squirrel Buster Plus: What to Know

The Squirrel Buster Plus is Brome's largest and most popular tube feeder, and the mechanism is the whole reason it has a following: a metal shroud sits around the outside of the seed tube, and its six feeding ports only line up with the openings underneath when nothing heavier than a bird is standing on the perch ring. The moment a squirrel's weight lands on it, the shroud drops and every port closes at once, not just the one the squirrel is sitting on. Brome backs this with a patented weight-adjustable spring, so you can tune the closing threshold up or down depending on whether you're also trying to keep out grackles or larger blackbirds that outweigh cardinals and finches.

We picked the single-unit, green, 6"x6"x28" configuration (ASIN B0007LQ3RQ) rather than the 2-pack listing under the same brand, since a five-feeder yard rarely needs two of the same model back to back. This version holds 5.1 lb of seed across six ports and includes the Cardinal Ring accessory that gives larger birds a place to perch while smaller birds use the ports directly; note that the pole itself is sold separately, so budget for a mounting pole or an existing shepherd's hook if you don't already have one.

Brome is honest on its own product page about the mechanism's limits, and it's worth repeating rather than glossing over: the company states the Squirrel Buster line will not deter grackles, starlings, juvenile red or flying squirrels, chipmunks, possums, bears, deer, or raccoons, and it needs roughly 18 inches of open clearance on all sides so nothing can jump onto it from a fence rail or overhanging branch. If your yard has a lot of chipmunk or juvenile-squirrel traffic specifically, this feeder alone won't solve that.

Key Listed Features