It is almost impossible to provide food for backyard birds without local critters crashing the party.  Most bird seed varieties, suet, nuggets and even berries and bushes appeal to both birds and animals.

  ...gray squirrel main page

After the birds have retired to the trees for the night, the clean-up crew of nocturnal animals will eat under the hanging feeders and in the ground platforms.  While some critters can be seen traveling about in daylight as well, they prefer the hours of darkness.

  ...opossum main page

Of concern to the average bird food purchaser, is the sight of diurnal (active during the day) animals eating seed bought and lugged home solely for birds.
But what can be really upsetting is to see the beloved songbirds being pushed away from their favorite feeders by the greedy, larger critters.

  ...striped skunk main page

Some precautions can be taken even by those who may be fond of these animals.  Squirrel-proof feeders, isolation and careful placement of favorite critter food, or removal of feeders at night or for several days, may slow down unwanted, hungry company.

  ...woodchuck main page

Then along comes Spring and all the cute baby animals! At first we who like to see yard critters during the day and even installed flood lights to see them at night, worried about the increase in the population of seed-eating animals. A happy observance, however, is that the adults diligently raise their cuties and then send them away to seek out their own territories. So, we get to enjoy the babies without the high maintenance of feeding many more adults.

...red squirrel and flying squirrel pages

...deer page

...chipmunk page