If there’s one thing a hungry bear is known to do, it’s infiltrate your backyard. We have all seen countless videos of these giant cuties invading urban residences in search of food. Bears are considered dangerous wildlife and attack about 40 people every year. This is why a bear sighting in a neighborhood can be unsettling and why people will often take precautions to keep them out of their backyards. If you have a food source such as a bird feeder nearby, it could encourage a hungry bear to climb into your territory and snag some food. This is a huge disappointment to avid bird watchers, but there are some steps you can take to keep bears away from your yard. These include purchasing a bear-proof feeder, filling the feeder with seeds bears don’t like, bringing it in every night, removing other food sources, and adding deterrents like sprinklers or lights to your lawn.
Erecting a bird feeder in your yard is beneficial to the birds who need food and respite and also to you so you can experience the avian wildlife. Finding bears instead of birds in your backyard after setting up an elaborate bird feeder can come as a real shock for homeowners. The worst part is that bears are crazy strong, so you could also be losing money and property when they tear apart the feeder in their quest for sustenance. Getting rid of these enormous beasts is a priority if you live in bear-prone areas.
Tips to discourage bears from wandering into your yard
Bear-proofing your backyard bird feeder isn’t an exact science because every situation is different and every animal is different. The first thing you can do is set up a bear-proof bird feeder if you have some disposable income to throw around. This $180 heavy-duty bear-proof feeder from Birds Choice is made of coated steel and is designed to hang. Next, try stocking up your bird feeder on food bears would pass on. Seeds like nyjer and safflower aren’t very pleasing to many animals so they wouldn’t take a second bite of them. You can even sprinkle some hot chili flakes on the food and mix them around. Birds can’t taste the compound in hot pepper that makes them spicy, but bears sure can. Further, consider removing your bird feeder every night. This might be tedious and annoying, but it’s less likely that the bear will break into your garage to get some food.
In addition to these tips about feeders, you should also refrain from throwing food around your backyard. If you have pets that play around the yard, toss them some snacks inside, not outside. Bears have a keen sense of smell and any loose crumb can attract them. This also means securing your outdoor garbage can. Finally, think about putting up motion-sensor lights or even sprinklers in your backyard. Bears are wary of suspicious activities, so they’ll be on the run after getting spooked by water and lights.
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