Do birdfeeders attract rats?

[WTW]

My brother has been asked by his neighbour to remove his hanging birdfeeders, as she believes they are attracting rats in neighbouring gardens.

I know that the advice is not to leave out more food out than is generally consumed daily so not to attract unwelcome garden visitors, but I think that that relates to ground food.

Admittedly, there is spillage from hanging feeders, but by and large that is eaten by Dunnocks, Wood Pigeons etc.

I'm not convinced that any spillage not eaten that day will attract rats that night. I think it is more likely that there is local rat problem for other reasons.

Given his obvious enjoyment at watching birds in his garden, should he resist removing the feeders, and how does he prove that they are the root cause?

Any thoughts/ideas, particularly based on personal experience?

Many thanks.

[WTW]

Many thanks for all your thoughts/comments.

[RATTER15]

Yes bird feeders can attract rats, the best way to avoid attracting rats is to have the bird feeder out in the open, rats don't really like to cross open ground also keep it clean around the base.

[sallybb]

Our bird feeders have attracted rats in the past. Our feeders are on a metal stand which holds four feeders. We sat once watching rats shimmy up the metal pole to reach the feeders.. we now regularily vaseline the pole which stops the rats and also the squirrels climbing up. Its quite amusing watching the squirels sliding down. As for the rats we havent seen any for a year.

[pusskin]

we regularly sweep up under the nut and fat ball feeders, to stop any would be rats munching when they fancy a bite either late evening or early morning!
we have seen one rat in 40 yrs

[rowanwitch]

while they are munching their way through your bird seed they are not in your house peeing in your pantry... we had the odd rat or two at the old place... most seemed to be brought in dead by the late lamented Tinkerbella psychopuss no wasting time on mice for her..

[RATTER15]

Rowan, I have long wanted a Rowan (Mountain Ash) in our garden, so this afternoon we went out and purchased one, Ive just finished planting it, we are now looking forward to even more birds coming in to feast on the berries when the fruit :-)

[DrFilth]

we use to put bird seed and bread on the back wall for the birds

then cats would come

not looking at the birds but looking at the ground


they were watching the rats eat the bird seed and bread that the birds had knocked off the wall :)

[rowanwitch]

Ratter...you might even get waxwings next winter if we have another irruption.. had two in my old garden the thrushes stripped it...

[RATTER15]

Rowan, its only a small tree but we have big hopes, we already have so many birds in the garden, it sounds like a tropical rain forest most of the time. The garden is centered on safety for dogs, children and to attract birds and butterflies.