Pellet gun does wonders and doesn't kill the squirrels. But, if you
don't want to go that route, you can also mix in powdered capsacin or
powdered cayenne pepper into bird seed, sprinkled around a bed, etc.
Birds can't taste capsacin/cayenne pepper.

FYI - capsacin is the chemical compound that makes hot peppers hot.
Hence, pure capsacin is hotter than cayenne. (I think Gardener's Supply
may sell some kind of capsacin powder for this purpose.) We've also
mixed powdered cayenne into vaseline and greased the poles of our
feeders to keep them from climbing them.

Susan
s h simko at duke dot edu