Squirrels overran my first tube feeders, eating me out of house and home -- or, at least, of birdseed.

One answer?

Caged bird feeders.

Certain caged feeders are decorative and ornamental, while others look functional but fail to deter squirrels. A few really do keep squirrels (and sometimes larger birds like starlings) away from the food.

You can find not only caged tube feeders but also caged suet feeders.

I've included the basic requirements of caged feeders that work, below, but remember other ways exist to deter squirrels.

Requirements

To deter a squirrel or larger bird through design alone:

1. The outside of the cage must be more than a squirrel's arm-length away from the seed ports for the entire length of the feeder, including the bottom seed ports
2. The feeder must not have a seed tray or solid bottom to catch seed -- the squirrel will reach right in for the food
3. The cage must also have narrow enough openings to prevent adult squirrels and larger birds from entering or pushing their way in (small or baby squirrels will probably still fit)
4. The tube of a tube feeder, if made of plastic, must not extend above the cage; the squirrels will eat through the plastic and nibble on the seed at the top of the tube

Examples:

• Stokes Select Squirrel-Proof Wild Bird Feeder
• Squirrel & Starling Proof Wire Suet Feeder