Former NASA Engineer Constructs Impressive Obstacle Course For Squirrels That Take Birdseed

Jun 23, 2020 by apost team

Mark Rober is an engineer and a tech-savvy pro, and he can build anything with his deep tech skills. Mark made a ninja warrior bird feeder that is squirrel proof at his home when he got tired of chasing away pet rodents feeding on his bird feed.

After a few weeks of watching, he was curious about what would happen to the squirrels in his neighborhood as they attempted to get into the bird feeder. Mark should have been happy when he saw them finding it hard to break through. You see, anytime he would put up a bird feeder, the squirrel would not let him rest. Now, he can watch as the squirrels try to navigate through effortlessly. Mark is a problem solver, a tough nut to crack, creating a barrier for the squirrels.

It is not an easy task for them, and they will have to get a sweat on to try their luck to gain access to the bird feeder. "What if they make it?" Mark asks himself. "Let them try and crack through it," he says. He knows how tough it is for the squirrels. He set up the feeder with sturdy ropes, long jumps, and an artificial female squirrel to take care of them.

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So Mark explains what the squirrels have to pass through to access the bird seeds or the walnuts that attract them to the feeder. Small as the squirrels are, their first challenge is the squirrel-friendly unstable bridge.

The next step is the maze of a thousand corridors (although in all honesty, the name might be a might grander than the reality on this one). If they make it through, they get to the pitchfork tumblers, and then to the home wrecker, and lastly the sneaky bridge of deception. Mark goes ahead to explain about The Maze of 1,000 Corridors and the Tourist Trap.

The Tourist Trap is a small painted piece of cardboard with a cut-out for a squirrel's head. A camera sits opposite of it, ready to take pictures of any passing squirrels. One nut serves as bait, so each of the squirrels stop and pose for a photo. Tiny as they look, they surprisingly adapt to the traps and challenges, with some of them striving to collect the bird seeds.

Mark knows that squirrels are a smart, athletic, and daring species that can do anything to locate the feeders. He comments on their ability to jump and land accurately and speaks about their feeding habits and ingenuity when it comes to getting food. They store food in winter and build nests as they deal with humans, buildings, and pets like dogs.

The squirrels are cunning and ravenous rodents. With their deceptively cute looks, they can steal food right from your hands. But again, if they can't manage to get to your feeders, they won’t eat your bird seeds. According to the Hindustan Times, when Mark started this three-month adventure to secure his bird feeders, he had no idea he would love watching squirrels and learning more about their nature and way of life.

He can now attest that squirrels have become his favorite game to watch. It is the best thing that Mark could do; he used his skills to create a solution for a problem that is both for fun, and for educational purposes for him, others, and the squirrels. Mark is a highly praised and esteemed individual in his neighborhood. He is not only creative, but also an entertainer in his own rights.

Your garden could be the next to have a beautiful squirrel-proof bird feeder. Would you spent your time and money on building something like this? What did you think about Mark's engineering? Pass this story along to see what your friends think!