Rooks and Jackdaws

[badger]

Until this year I found putting squirrel cages round all my bird feeders kept the big birds away. They knew they couldn't get at the food so didn't try. Suddenly this year it all changed and as soon as food was out the tree was covered with big black birds and the little ones only got in when I went out and shouted or banged on the window. In the end I stopped feeding but want to start again soon for the winter. Has anyone else noticed there seem to be far more rooks and jackdaws around? Huge flocks of rooks flying past and jackdaws on every building. They're becoming a plague and I don't know how to keep them off my feeders short of putting a cage round the whole tree.

[Kenn]

We do get corvids migrating from Europe as winter sets in.
Have my feeders hanging from a traditional bird table which seems to work very well although 1 Jackdaw and a Hooded Crow have worked out how to grab larger items that are placed on the flat surface under the roof.
Give the crafty crow family a challenge and the are up for it, can you not re-locate the feeders for the small birds?

[andyw]

Hi put two hanging baskets to geather around feeders should stop them it has here

[badger]

Thanks for suggestions but my feeders are all hanging from a small tree and I suspect the crows would find them wherever I put them as they can't be very visible from above. They are crafty but also stupid because they can't actually reach any food in the squirrel cages. That's what I don't understand. No room for hanging baskets.

I see someone else on here having a problem with rats which is as bad if not worse.