The 9 BEST Bird Feeder Poles! (ALL price ranges)
Your bird feeder pole is the true unsung hero in your backyard.
It’s not glamorous, or exciting. It will never be the center of attention (even though it’s located at the center of your backyard feeding station).
But your bird feeder pole system could be the most important investment you make in your bird-feeding hobby!
Remember that your bird feeders are only as sturdy as the place you choose to hang them. If you don’t have a good backbone for your bird feeding station, you could end up with feeders (and seed) all over the ground! Choosing the correct bird feeder pole is also incredibly important if you want to keep squirrels off your feeders. 🙂
- RELATED: 7 Things to Consider When Buying a Bird Feeder Pole! (Helpful to read this article before purchasing)
To help you choose the best option for your setup, I have listed a range of bird feeder poles for every situation and price range. And, keep reading to the end for advice on a TRULY customized setup!
The 9 BEST Bird Feeder Poles:
- Listed from the most expensive to the cheapest!
#1: Squirrel Stopper Pole and Baffle Set
Compare Prices of the Squirrel Stopper Pole!
- JCS Wildlife *Use code BWHQ at checkout to receive 10% off!*
- Amazon
The Squirrel Stopper is very popular and definitely one of the BEST bird feeding poles available. It is one of the ONLY poles currently available that is built straight from the factory specifically to STOP squirrels. Scott, the creator of Bird Watching HQ, owns this pole and has successfully used it for many years.
Here are the best features of this bird feeder pole:
- To accomplish the almost impossible feat of stopping squirrels, a spring-loaded baffle is attached directly to the pole. The baffle has incredible flexibility and can move up, down, and side to side. I’ve never seen squirrels get past the baffle, nor have heard of it happening to anyone else!
- PRESS PLAY below to see how the baffle works!
- The pole can hold up to eight bird feeders (or hanging plants, wind chimes, etc.) from the metal arms. The Squirrel Stopper can handle just about any bird feeder, except for ones that are incredibly heavy. I would not put any hopper-style bird feeders on the Squirrel Stopper, due to their weight.
- The installation of this bird feeder pole is relatively simple. It took about half an hour from opening the box to having the Squirrel Stopper installed and in the ground. The instructions in the box are not great, but luckily building this pole is not rocket science. Thankfully, no tools are required; everything you need comes in the box. View a PDF of the instructions here!
- Screwing the pole into the ground is surprisingly easy. An auger attaches to the bottom of the pole, and then you use one of the cross tubes to screw it down into the ground. It took less than a minute to get the pole almost two feet underground! But if your ground is dry and hard, it will definitely be more difficult. 🙂
- The construction of the Squirrel Stopper is sturdy. The pole is 16 gauge steel and includes a black powder coat finish. The vertical pole has a diameter of 2 inches (5 cm). The horizontal cross tubes at the top have a diameter of 1 inch (2.5 cm).
*Here’s a video of the Squirrel Stopper in action!*
You can see a decent close-up view of the pole, along with plenty of feeders and birds!
Some people have complained that this pole rusts over time. Rust can be prevented by periodically spraying on a rust preventer like Rust-Oleum (Clear).
The Squirrel Stopper is easily one of the BEST purchases you can make for backyard bird feeding.
#2: Squirrel Stopper Sequoia Squirrel-Proof Pole System
Compare Prices of the Squirrel Stopper Sequoia!
- JCS Wildlife *Use code BWHQ to receive 10% off!*
- Amazon
Another option made by Squirrel Stopper is the Sequoia Squirrel-Proof Pole System. It uses the same universal squirrel baffle that moves up, down, and side-to-side to make it impossible for squirrels to climb up!
Instead of a cross-post, the Sequoia has four hooks at the top of the pole to hang feeders, birdhouses, or plant baskets. This versatile system is easy to assemble and has an auger-style base that screws directly into the ground for sturdy support of your feeders.
#3. Advanced Pole System
The Advanced Pole System is ONLY available at Wild Birds Unlimited (WBU), which is a chain of retail stores found in North America that specializes in bird feeding. The staff is always knowledgeable and helpful, and they only sell quality products.
As mentioned above, Scott has used the Squirrel Stopper bird feeder pole in his backyard with great success, but I personally use the Advanced Pole System (APS).
- Click here to see the APS in action on MY LIVE Bird Feeder Camera! (look for the lakeside cam)
The APS is entirely customizable, which is one reason why I love it! You can start with just a simple shepherd’s hook design, or you can mount your hopper at the top and platform feeder in the middle of the pole. From there, it’s easy to add extra arms for additional feeders, suet cages, or small dish feeders. If you can dream of a design, you can probably make it happen with this bird feeder pole system.
My current setup is a hook on each side for a tube feeder, with a tray in the middle and a suet cage above the tray. I also have a large baffle below the tray feeder to stop squirrels. Make sure to look at the pictures above, which were taken in my backyard. 🙂
The following video is a quick introduction to the Advanced Pole System.
Does this bird feeder pole stop squirrels?
The Advanced Pole System does not come with a squirrel baffle permanently mounted like the Squirrel Stopper pole. But it’s easy to add a baffle to prevent squirrels from climbing up. Wild Birds Unlimited offers a few options tailored specifically to this pole system, or you can check out this article that gives lots of options for squirrel baffles!
Do you want more information about the APS?
- Check out the interactive brochure that Wild Birds Unlimited has on its website. It shows lots of pictures and different ways to customize the APS to your needs.
#4: Droll Yankees Freestanding Hook
If you only need to hang one feeder and want a clean, simple look, the Droll Yankees Shepherd’s Envy is for you.
It’s high-quality enameled steel and has an auger-style base and threaded joint design. One additional benefit is the distance from the hook end to the pole is wider than most shepherd’s hooks. This allows for wider bird feeders along with making it a bit harder for squirrels trying to get a meal!
The Droll Yankees Shepherd’s Envy is quite a bit more expensive than a standard shepherd’s hook. The main difference is that this pole has an auger that screws down into the ground, which makes it much more secure. If you’re looking for something simple that is well made, you can’t go wrong with this pole.
#5: Squirrel Stopper Universal Mounting Kit
Compare Prices!
- JCS Wildlife *Use code BWHQ to receive 10% off!*
- Amazon
The Universal Mounting Kit by Squirrel Stopper is a great bird feeder pole if you use a large hopper feeder or a tray bird feeder. It comes with everything you need to install the pole and attach the feeder to the top.
Within 10 minutes of receiving this product, you can have it in the ground feeding birds as it’s SO easy to set up. And it’s also easy to move around your yard to test different areas. We are constantly moving this pole around the yard to see which spots work the best!
Its sturdy threaded-join design, powder-coat finish, and auger ground anchor mean it will stand straight and hold up to extreme weather conditions. This bird feeder pole is great for heavy hopper feeders as the top-mounted design means you don’t have to worry about the pole leaning.
You should be aware that this pole does not come with a built-in squirrel baffle like the pole and baffle set. But, you can buy stand-alone baffles to attach to the pole. In addition, this pole will not work if you want to use a bird feeder that needs to hang, like a tube feeder.
#6: Bolite Adjustable Bird Feeding Pole
If you want an inexpensive bird feeding pole system that gives you flexibility, the Bolite Bird Feeding Station might be the best option for you. It’s rated highly because it’s easy to put together and durable.
The design is threaded sections of metal tubing with a stake-type base. The base has three stabilizer arms, which protect it from leaning under the weight of the feeders. Another feature of this station is that it has plenty of hooks to customize your setup and two small dishes for seed, water, or other treats.
One of the main drawbacks to this system is that it can be flimsy in high winds, with heavy feeders, or if larger animals try to climb it. The prongs at the bottom are only 6 inches (15 cm) long, so there isn’t much support. Most of the higher quality poles above have an auger that goes down 18 – 24 inches (46 – 61 cm) into the ground.
#7: Gray Bunny Deck Mount Bird Feeding Pole
The Gray Bunny Deck Mount Bird Feeding Pole is a great option for anyone who wants to mount a bird feeding pole right on their deck!
It’s made of heavy-duty steel with a powder-coat finish to prevent rust and comes with a bracket that attaches directly to a deck railing. The pole fits into the bracket and can easily be swiveled to fill the feeder.
A word of caution if you choose this pole: according to most reviewers, the screws provided aren’t strong enough to hold the bracket in place. Using longer, heavier screws for installing should solve any issues though.
#8: EXCMARK Shepherd Hook
If your main concern is cost, you may be happy with a simple shepherd’s hook for hanging a single feeder. You can purchase one for under $15.
A tube feeder or small hanging tray would work perfectly with this hook. You wouldn’t want to hang a large or heavy feeder on this type of pole, but in terms of price, you couldn’t do better!
#9: Make your own bird feeder pole!
If you’ve reached the end of this list and haven’t found a bird feeder pole system that fits your needs, consider a DIY Setup!
You have limitless options when it comes to how many feeders, accessories, and extras you include. And you can make your pole system as sturdy as you wish! Many people sink a pole, such as a 4×4, into the ground surrounded by concrete.
With a DIY setup, you also have complete control over the aesthetics – you can go rustic with unfinished wood and exposed nails or create a beautiful conversation piece with finished wood and specialty feeders. It’s really up to you!
Check out Scott and his dad building his custom bird feeder pole: (Video sped up!)
To ensure your bird feeding pole system is sturdy enough to last a lifetime, I recommend starting with a few basic materials. A 4″x4″ post sunk at least two feet into the ground will ensure you have a great base for as many feeders as you want. For extra support, you can pour concrete around the post. Once the post is placed, you can nail in bracket hooks or shepherd’s crook arms to hang your feeders. You can even attach suet cages and tray feeders directly to the post! And to make the pole squirrel proof, you can place a stove pipe over top of the pole!
Do you have a bird feeder pole system you love?
Let us know how it works in the comments!
I have a Squirrel Stopper pole and I love the height and all of it, but the only real negative is the lower segment of the pole has a way to short collar that feeds into the upper half. So the upper half is often leaning like the leaning tower of pisa. I don’t understand how they thought this was a good idea. Just adding a couple more inches of metal to that collar would give it SO MUCH MORE stability. Better would be just one solid piece for the pole, no sections!!!!!
I’d love to see a photo not that to help me make sure I understand if possible.
I use a 1″ black pipe as a pole which is fairly inexpensive and available from most big box stores. It is available in 10″ lengths (~$28). A squirrel baffle about 6′ up is necessary. The black pipe is easily drilled and hooks and arms can be attached with screws or band clamps. On mine I drilled through the top and hammered through a 3 foot 3/8″ aluminum cross bar that I hang my feeders from, but they also make 1″ T’s that could be screwed to the top and shorter sections of 1/2″-1″ pipe could be added as a cross member depending on the T. It is flexible and quite strong and easily holds my hopper feeder with sunflower seed (10 lbs). On the base, since the black pipe is usually threaded you can add a section of 1.25″ pipe with appropriate coupler or an inside threaded pipe to add additional 2-3′ of length to the pipe. The reason for a 1.25 inch base is that it fits well into the pipe used for the top of chain link fences, so I cemented a 30″ section of chain link pipe flush with the ground. This allows me to pull the pole in the spring when I need to mow the grass. If 10′ above ground is too high (I use a step ladder to fill my feeders, but like the height since it puts the feeders higher than my deck rail) the 1″ pipe can be cut to any length. Big box stores can help to do this and thread the pipe if needed.
Rather than an expensive baffle pole ? Simply drill a hole into a plastic coffee can of your color choice brown,red,,black,yellow and slide it on the pole if the hole is drilled close enough to the pipi size it will snug on fine but of course a hose clamp will help if neededd.
I have a bird pole my husaband bought me for my “hobby”! Its a PVC system made in the USA. Sold on Etsy by SquirrelProof, the name of the shop. I bought the basic model without the frost extender and this height works great for me. About 6.5 to 7 feet. Holds 4 feeders or planters with each arm holding up to 10 lbs. Could even mount a platform feeder on top. The pole was cemented into a 5 gallon bucket and filled with quick-crete. Then covered with dirt and pavers. The squirrels can not grip this pole or get up, they try and slide right down. The only thing is you have to make sure your feeders do not hang too low from the arms otherwise the @#$*^@ squirrels will jump up from the ground!I am very happy with this pole and it looks great in my yard. Very sturdy and easy to install. Its around $140+. Highly recommend! I think I have won the battle!!
Any recommendations for poles either (and preferably) existing commercial products I can just buy rather than make, or if absolutely non-existent, plans available for a pole with arms to hang feeders, where the arms are 9 ft off the ground or greater? I’m looking ideally for something that will hold a feeder 10 ft. I really do need that extra height for placing it at a vantage point I can see from inside the house. I can only find shephard’s hooks and feeder poles that go to about 8 feet or less nothing taller.
Thanks for sharing your live cams of bird feeders. I feel most of my poles are too short, even with baffles the squirrels still jump up to the feeders. The raccoons destroyed one of my very expensive bird feeders. If/when I get another feeder pole I would like to get one of the two you mentioned.
I am interested to know about the deck-mount for the APS system. I have been using an unbranded horizontal deck mount, but I am considering a switch to the APS Adjustable Clamp-On Deck Mount, 6” Wide. I wonder whether it is secure enough to hold a suet feeder, mealworm feeder, and a birdbath that hangs from three chains. If anyone has experience, please reply here!
We have had a similar experience in dealing Amazon and have discontinued our Prime subscription and ordering from the company altogether.
9/25/2020 … 1:09 pm. Squirrel is feasting away in your open tray feeder. I don’t see a metal pole though?
Hi Scott! I love feeding all the different birds in yard! Would you recommend putting a humming bird feeder on this same pole? I’ve noticed that hummers are not only territorial amongst themselves, but are a bit aggressive with other birds.
Brenda Sturgis
Hey Brenda, if possible, I’d put your hummingbird feeder somewhere separate than you main bird feeding station. That is what I do! I like that it gives them a separate, more peaceful area.
Interesting – I was just at WBU store in St. Louis today and they told me all their WBU products are guaranteed for life – hope this is helpful to you.
Hey, great site. Lots of good info though I haven’t made it thru all of it. I’m using a redneck ingenuity pole. That just a shepards hook and I have squirrels. So I cut the step bar off and put 5 ft of PVC pipe over it and hand pushed the pole back into the ground about 18 in. I’m only hanging a round hopper and a suet cake for now but have another for Hummers. So far my feed consumption has gone from empty in 2 days to 6 days. I’m getting Cardinals and Sparrows and have seen a Woodpecker a couple of times (though not on the feeder). This question may be answered but I haven’t found it yet, do the larger birds keep the Hummers away? I’ve only seen one Hummer but this is my first year with them so I don’t expect much until I get a few more blooming plants in the back yard. I may put Hummer feeder in front where there are more flowers.
Really good article so I tried to order from WBU. Went through the registration process only to find after all of that they don’t ship outside US and CA.
Hi Scott. I, too, just found your wonderful site. Thank you for making it so visually pleasing with the bird cams, and informative as well. I became an active birder while living in NC, and attracted a plethora of beautiful birds…both regulars and migratory…with very fresh and high quality seed from Wild Birds Unlimited in Greensboro, NC. I purchased WBU’s Advanced Pole System, which at that time came with a lifetime warranty. It lasted approximately 5 years before snapping in two (at the junction of the top of the auger and bottom of pole, despite no signs of rust.) I explained what happened to the owner of the WBU closest to us now, Mobile, Alabama, and he explained that WBU no longer offers a lifetime warranty on their products. I haven’t called Corporate, however, to ask them if this is truly the case. I wanted you to know this before you spend a lot of money on a new APS. 🙂
Thanks for hosting this site. Very informational!
Hi Scott,
I really enjoyed your article and found it thorough and extremely informative. We love our birds and squirrels but the squirrels have taken over the 4 feeders we have. They chase all our birds away. We are going to invest in the Squirrel Stopper Pole and several good squirrel proof feeders. The Squirrel Stopper Pole is currently unavailable on Amazon – and they do not give a time frame when they might be in stock. Any ideas on where else to purchase them? Also – can the poles be removed easily when you want to move them?
We are planning a move in a year or so – are the poles removable so we can take them with us?
Thank you for the information. Part of my problem is deer. Are these poles tall enough so deer cannot walk up and eat the seed.
I clicked on the link for the squirrel stopper feeder pole and it didn’t take me directly to the link to buy it, just search results where there were several but none that look like yours. Do you have the exact name of it? The Yellowstone one was probably the closest to yours that I saw, but not as cute.
Thanks for the article! Squirrels have just recently become a problem for me, my parents, and grandparents. I’ve become a pretty serious birder so I don’t plan on wasting much money feeding squirrels if I can help it! Haven’t had a problem with them for years, but here we are.
I just saw a squirrel in your feeder!
Hi Scott,
Just found your website last night and I am so impressed with the amount of work you have put into it! Obviously a labor of love. I have just started taking an interest in backyard birding and bought the Woodlink platform feeder and hung it from tree as my first stepping stone. I do have a few questions:
1. It looks like you use the same feeder. Does it fit into the 5 gallon bucket to easily clean? How often do you clean the platform feeders?
2. I do not have any squirrels around my subdivision in suburbia. Do you have any recommendations for feeding stations that don’t need to be squirrel proof?
3. Do you have a picture of your entire feeding station? (just to get a sense of how extensive it is!)
4. It’s this purely a hobby or did you have some occupational background that lended itself to this?
Thanks so much,
Lanny Hsu (east SF bay area)
Hello Larry! Thank you for the kind comments. I’m glad you found the site and hope you come back. Here are answers to your questions:
1. I don’t clean the Woodlink tray in a bucket. That one is easy to just blast with a hose and use a brush to scrub away any other food. Luckily the tray doesn’t have many places that food gets stuck so it may be my easiest feeder to clean. I only do a full cleaning with the hose maybe 2-3x per year. I do scrape away any food that gets stuck.
2. You are one of the lucky few. Just a warning, I didn’t have any squirrels in our suburban neighborhood at first either, but they slowly discovered my buffet and now we have as many as 8 at a time. But you should have an easier time if you don’t have to worry about squirrels, you just need a pole without a baffle.
3. Have you seen my live cams? https://birdwatchinghq.com/live-bird-cams/
4. Just a hobby, but I wish I could do it full time!
Thanks again Larry! ~Scott