<p>I have one of those suet feeders that is like a log with holes in it for the plugs. My house is cedar and the woodpeckers drill right in if I don’t keep suet out all the time. I managed to rig my feeder to keep the squirrels off after a few summers of skirmishes – it hangs from an arm on a flag-pole-like setup, and I trimmed off all trees close to it.</p>
<p>A few weeks ago my suet plugs started disappearing again, and I have figured out that it is crows that are stealing them! I didn’t think they could get a grip on the “log”, but I have watched them do it a couple of times. I want to stick with the taller “plug” feeder because I have a couple of pileated woodpeckers that come, and the little squares of suet in the wire box are too small for them to get onto. Unless I can find a “two story” feeder for the rectangular kind… I did an internet search and didn’t come up with any obvious solution.</p>
<p>Maybe putting a wire mesh barrier around it so a bird can get its beak in to get some suet, but not take the whole plug? I suspect putting in fresh suet might be very messy even if I were handy enough to figure this out… I probably would be removing half eaten plugs, and would have to somehow take the wire on and off every time. </p>
<p>Anyway, looking for ideas or suggestions (slingshot has been considered, but it is hard to be in range when they are near the feeder!).</p>