Feeder Types
Peanut feeders
The fastest way to bring in woodpeckers and jays, and the single most squirrel-attractive thing you can hang up.
By Scooter M. · Published · Last updated
Peanuts bring woodpeckers, jays, titmice and nuthatches faster than seed does. Shelled peanuts go in a mesh tube; in-shell peanuts go on a tray or a wire spiral. Peanuts are the most squirrel-attractive food you can offer, so a weight-closing feeder or a baffled pole is not optional.
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Quick picks
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bno photo Brome Squirrel Buster Nut Feeder 1.3 lb with a weight-closing shroud — the only sane way to run peanuts near squirrels. | Best peanut feeder | |
| 2 | NWno photo Nature's Way Cedar Platform Tray Feeder (CWF3) Jays want to pick a whole peanut off a flat surface and carry it away. | Best for in-shell peanuts | |
| 3 | Eno photo Erva SB1D Cylindrical (Torpedo) Squirrel Baffle If you hang peanuts without a baffle, you are running a squirrel feeder. | Mandatory hardware |
Rows link to the full write-up further down this page. The price button goes to Amazon.
If a suet cage is the fastest way to get woodpeckers, peanuts are a close second and they bring a wider cast: jays, titmice, nuthatches and chickadees all take them. They are also the food that will most reliably escalate your squirrel situation, so this is the one feeder where the mechanism conversation has to come first.
Shelled or in-shell?
| Shelled (kernels) | In-shell (whole) | |
|---|---|---|
| Feeder | Mesh tube or a weight-closing nut feeder | Tray, or a wire spiral |
| Who takes them | Woodpeckers, nuthatches, titmice, chickadees | Jays and larger woodpeckers, which carry them off |
| Waste | Low — nothing to discard | Shell fragments below the feeder |
| Spoilage risk | Higher — no shell protecting the kernel | Lower, but still real when wet |
| Squirrel appeal | Extreme | Extreme |
The mold point, which matters more than it sounds
Damp peanuts can grow mold, and moldy peanuts should never be left out. This is not a fussy-hygiene note: it is the reason peanut feeders need more attention than seed feeders.
- Put out small amounts, and refill more often rather than filling to the top.
- Empty and dry the feeder after heavy rain.
- Discard any peanuts that look discoloured, dusty or smell musty.
- Store the bag sealed and cool — storage rules here.
The squirrel maths
A peanut is a high-value, high-fat, easily carried item, which is precisely what a caching rodent is built to collect. Expect peanuts to draw more squirrel attention than any other food on your station.
The two workable answers: a weight-closing nut feeder, or a baffled pole with the feeder well clear of everything. Ideally both. Brome's nut feeder publishes 1.3 lb capacity with the same weight-closing shroud used across its line. More options here.
Where peanuts fit in a setup
Third or fourth. Get a seed feeder working, add suet in the autumn, and add peanuts when you want the woodpeckers and jays to be regulars rather than occasional. Adding peanuts to a station that is not yet squirrel-secure is the fastest way to lose control of it.
What about peanut butter?
Smeared in bark crevices or a purpose-made holder, it works and birds like it. Keep it out of hot weather for the same reason as plain suet — soft fat on feathers is a real problem — and use plain peanut butter without added sweeteners.
Jays: feature or problem?
Jays will take a whole peanut and carry it away, come back, and repeat until the tray is empty. Some people love the spectacle; others find their small birds displaced. If you want both, put in-shell peanuts on a separate tray away from the main feeder — jays will prioritize the easy whole nuts and leave the tube alone. More on feeding by species.
The picks in full
#1 · Best peanut feeder
Brome Squirrel Buster Nut Feeder
Brome · Shelled peanuts without feeding the entire local squirrel population
A peanut feeder with the weight-closing shroud, which matters more here than anywhere else, because peanuts are the single most squirrel-attractive thing you can hang up.
Published specifications
- Capacity
- 1.3 lb
- Food
- Shelled peanuts, other nuts, or dried fruit
- Mechanism
- Weight-closing shroud
What it does well
- Peanuts draw woodpeckers, jays, titmice and nuthatches faster than seed does
- The mechanism is the only realistic way to run peanuts near squirrels
What it does not
- Expensive for a feeder that holds 1.3 lb
- Shelled peanuts spoil in damp weather and have to be kept dry
Specifications above come from the manufacturer's own published listing: Brome — Squirrel Buster Nut Feeder (manufacturer store).
#2 · Best for in-shell peanuts
Nature's Way Cedar Platform Tray Feeder (CWF3)
Nature's Way · Cardinals, jays, doves and anything that will not use a tube
An open cedar tray with a removable screen bottom, which is the honest answer for the big ground-feeding birds a tube feeder quietly excludes.
Published specifications
- Dimensions
- 12" x 12" x 2.25"
- Capacity
- 3 quarts
- Materials
- Premium cedar, stainless steel screws, powder-coated galvanized steel seed tray
- Drainage
- Removable screen tray for drainage and airflow
What it does well
- Cardinals and jays use it immediately; they often will not use a small tube port
- The screen bottom drains, which is the difference between a tray and a puddle
- Nothing to break, and it cleans in a minute
What it does not
- Completely open to squirrels, so this one belongs on a baffled pole or nowhere
- Seed is exposed to rain even with drainage, so put out small amounts
Specifications above come from the manufacturer's own published listing: Nature's Way CWF3 published specifications.
#3 · Mandatory hardware
Erva SB1D Cylindrical (Torpedo) Squirrel Baffle
Erva · Pole-mounted feeders
A long steel cylinder a squirrel cannot get around or hug past, and the single most effective thing you can buy after the feeder itself.
Published specifications
- Length
- 16.75"
- Diameter
- 6.25"
- Type
- Pole-mounted cylindrical baffle
What it does well
- Length is what defeats a squirrel here: it cannot reach past the top
- Steel, so it survives winters and chewing
What it does not
- Useless if the pole sits within jumping distance of a fence, wall or branch
- Must be mounted high enough that a squirrel cannot leap over it entirely
Specifications above come from the manufacturer's own published listing: Erva SB1D published dimensions.
Common questions
What is the best bird feeder for peanuts?
A weight-closing nut feeder for shelled peanuts, or a tray for in-shell. Whatever you choose, it needs a squirrel mechanism or a baffled pole.
Do peanut feeders attract squirrels?
More than anything else you can hang up. Peanuts are exactly what a caching rodent wants most.
Are peanuts safe for birds?
Fresh, dry peanuts are excellent food. Damp or moldy peanuts are genuinely dangerous — put out small amounts and discard anything that has been rained on.
Should I use shelled or in-shell peanuts?
Shelled in a mesh or weight-closing feeder brings the widest range of birds. In-shell on a tray is mainly for jays and larger woodpeckers.