Wire Bird Feeder System vs. Squirrels

Wire Hazards

Several people contacted me about the hazards of having thin wire suspended in the air. They said that birds could fly into the wire and get hurt or killed. So far I have not had that problem. Actually, I think the birds clearly see the wire as many of them roost on it and seem to use it as they do regular utility line wires. I have seen as many as ten to twenty small birds on the wire at once. But I agree it could possibly be a hazard.

Building the System

As I indicated, I used very small gauge wire - 1/16th inch in diameter. You can get even thinner wire if you want, but I used what I bought because all of the parts were readily available at my local corner hardware store.

I was concerned with several things as I started to build the system. I knew the line would sag both before and after I added the feeders. But I didn't now how much. I also knew I wanted the bottom of the feeders at least 4.5 to 5 feet off the ground. In addition, I didn't want the wire so low as to pose a problem as I carried ladders and long lumber around to the back of my home. Knowing all of this I decided to mount the wire about 12 feet up in the air.

Fortunately, I have a wood frame garage on one side of my patio and a large pine tree on the opposite side. The corner of the garage and the tree happen to be in perfect alignment with the far edge of the patio. I installed two 1/4 inch diameter threaded open hooks to support the wire. I made sure these penetrated solid wood for a minimum of 1.5 inches.

The Drop Wires

Since my feeders are different sizes and types I didn't want to make the final height adjustment of each drop wire until the primary cable was up in the air. But attaching drop wires 12 feet high is a problem! So I attached extra long drop wires to the wire before I installed the wire from the tree to the garage. I then was able to work on a small ladder to cut off the excess from each drop wire and make the final clamp connection for the loop that holds the small S hooks to which the feeders are attached.

Lots of Tension

The wire needs, in my opinion, two cable clamps at each threaded hook location. I show these clearly in the photos. These clamps are easy to work with and do a swell job of holding the wire so it does not slip. The combined weight of the bird feeders full of feed is surprising. I would estimate that the wire might have 40 to 50 pounds of weight on it when all feeders are open and ready for business.

Hook and cable with clamps.

Why a Wire?

Just today, while I was eating lunch and looking out the window to the feeders, I mentioned why I like the wires vs. a pole. The wires are so thin you can't see them against the backdrop of trees at the edge of my property. The feeders seem to float in mid air. There are no posts to navigate while cutting the grass or catching a Trac-Ball (one of my favorite outdoor games I play with my kids). At first, Kathy didn't like the wire but she has since grown used to it. Or so she tells me!

Bird feeders hanging from the wire.

Bird Feeder Suspension System Photos

The top photo is a close up of the wire, the threaded hook and the two wire clamps. Take this photo with you to the hardware store to get the right parts. Remember that the wire is just 1/16th inch in diameter. I used two clamps to make sure the wire would not fall. I built the first loop with two clamps on the ground. I attached it on the hook in the tree and then went over to the garage corner and pulled the wire as tight as I could. I made a mark on the wire where I knew the end of the second loop needed to be. Then I went back down the ladder and built the second loop on the ground. BUT, before I built the second loop, I had to slide down the wire the five hammer-type friction clamps for the drop wires. You can just see a hint of those in the bottom photo. These clamps are small aluminum rectangles with a hole in the middle. You put two pieces of wire through them, place the clamp and wires on a smooth, flat surface and strike them with a hammer. It is amazing how well it holds. I used the same type clamp to make the loops for the S hooks that hold the feeders. The entire system took me about 30 minutes to build.