Does Birdseed Attract Possums?

Human-Based Food Sources

• As more people populate rural areas, possums encounter more human-based food sources on a daily basis. Aside from vegetable gardens, possums look through garbage for scraps and feed on leftover pet food. Open compost piles are another possum favorite. They may even open some compost containers with their nimble feet if the latch system is simple enough. Birdseed commonly is strewn across the ground after falling from an overhanging feeder attached to a pole or tree. Possums scurry to pick up the birdseed on the ground and may find ample tree limbs to climb to the feeder for a larger food reward.

Natural Sustenance Choices

• Possums' survival is due mainly to their wide variety of food selections. These omnivores seek plant and meat sources to round out their nutrition. Along with birdseed, nuts and fruits, possums look for carrion and bird eggs for sustenance. Garden pests, such as mice, insects and snakes, are favorite possum foods. They can control these pests' populations as they forage at night. If you use pesticides on those pests, however, you may poison possums indirectly. Avoid using harmful toxins in your garden. Instead, use biological or cultural controls to keep pests at bay.

Feeder Protection

• Removing a bird feeder deters possum activity, but you can keep a bird feeder in place and keep possums from eating birdseed if you alter the surrounding environment. Consistently clean the ground below the feeder before night falls to stop possum feeding on birdseed. Attach aluminum to your feeder's tree or pole to create an upside-down funnel. Possums cannot scurry up a tree or pole that is surrounded by the barrier. As opportunists, they quickly move onto easier food sources. Do not leave sharp edges on the makeshift aluminum barrier, however, because the edges may cut possums that explore the barrier.

Additional Measures

• Keeping the bird feeder area lit at night and removing all possum-harboring areas can help deter possums from the birdseed and your yard. For example, secure all open areas under your home with aluminum or other metal mesh. Do not pile wood loosely or allow shrubs to grow wildly. Possums need ample burrowing space for protection and reproduction. Cover your trash, and remove all pet food from your yard before nightfall. Prune overhanging tree limbs to reduce access to your home and/or bird feeder. With no birdseed on the ground, no access to the seed in a bird feeder and limited food sources otherwise, possums slowly look for new feeding areas.