You can buy squirrel-resistant bird feeders at specialty wild bird stores near you, where you can see how each design keeps squirrels off the seed before you buy it. In Ontario, Urban Nature Store carries squirrel-resistant feeders, hot pepper seed and squirrel baffles at ten local stores. The same range ships anywhere in Canada.
What Is the Difference Between Squirrel-Resistant and Squirrel-Proof?
In practice, very little. Both terms describe feeders built to keep squirrels away from the seed, and Urban Nature Store uses both: its feeder range sits in a squirrel-proof feeders collection, while some products in it are named squirrel-resistant.
Neither term means a feeder will stop every squirrel in every yard. Urban Nature Store's founder takes up that question in a post titled Is There Really Such a Thing as a Squirrel-Proof Feeder? and concludes that the feeders work, but that where the feeder hangs matters as much as the feeder itself.
Which Squirrel-Resistant Feeders Can You See in a Store Near You?
Squirrel-resistant feeders stop squirrels in one of two ways: by weight or by size. Seeing both types side by side in a store makes it easier to match one to the squirrels in your yard.
A weight-activated feeder closes off the seed when something heavier than a songbird lands on it. The Absolute II Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder ($174.95 on sale in November 2026) is a two-sided, powder-coated steel feeder that holds over 12 lb of seed, with adjustable weight settings and both pole and hanging hardware included.
A caged feeder keeps squirrels out by size instead, with a metal grid that a squirrel's body can't fit through. The Audubon Squirrel Resistant Caged Seed Feeder ($109.95) has four ports inside a powder-coated steel cage, holds about 1.25 lb of seed, and is built to keep adult black and grey squirrels away from the seed.
More models, including the Squirrel Buster range, are in the squirrel-proof feeders collection.
What Else Can You Buy Locally to Keep Squirrels Off the Seed?
Seed that squirrels won't eat is the simplest addition, and it works in the feeder you already own. The Squirrel Proof Wild Bird Seed ($18.95 for 8 lb) is treated with an all-natural hot oil containing capsaicin, the compound that makes spices hot. Squirrels can taste capsaicin and birds can't, so the seed repels squirrels without changing how appealing it is to birds. The bag is made in Canada.
An untreated alternative is safflower seed. Urban Nature Store's guide to the best feeder for attracting cardinals notes that squirrels, grackles and sparrows don't favour safflower, while cardinals do.
Hardware is the third option: a baffle on the pole below the feeder stops squirrels from climbing up to it. Urban Nature Store's squirrel baffles collection covers wrap-around, dome and disk styles for different pole sizes.
Which Stores Near You Carry Squirrel-Resistant Feeders?
Squirrel-resistant feeders, hot pepper seed and baffles are sold at all ten Urban Nature Store locations, listed on the store locations page. Each product page shows a stock count for every store, so you can check the nearest one before you go.
Stock differs from store to store. On November 4, 2026, for example, the Audubon caged feeder showed one to five units at every store and the Squirrel Proof Wild Bird Seed showed more than 100 bags at all ten, while the Absolute II showed up to three per store and none at North York. Product pages also note that pickup is still available at a store showing zero stock once the warehouse restocks it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does hot pepper bird seed hurt birds?
No. The Squirrel Proof Wild Bird Seed product page lists the seed as safe for birds, because birds can't taste capsaicin. It also states that the seed does not harm squirrels; it simply tastes unpleasant to them.
Will a caged feeder keep out red squirrels and chipmunks?
No. The Audubon Squirrel Resistant Caged Seed Feeder's grid is sized for adult black and grey squirrels, and Urban Nature Store's page for it notes that red squirrels and chipmunks are small enough to fit through.
Can a squirrel-resistant feeder also keep grackles off?
Often, yes. The Absolute II's adjustable tension can be changed to deter grackles as well as squirrels, and the Audubon caged feeder's grid also blocks blue jays, mourning doves and grackles while most songbirds can still reach the ports.
