# Something attacked our bird feeder. Something scary. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 12, 2005, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-attacked-our-bird-feeder-something-scary/321251 "2005-09-12T15:13:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-attacked-our-bird-feeder-something-scary/321251/21 "2005-09-13T00:35:47Z")
Here’s the culprit: [http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/dtrapp/bigfoot.htm](http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/dtrapp/bigfoot.htm) ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-attacked-our-bird-feeder-something-scary/321251/22 "2005-09-13T15:49:54Z")
> [@TwistofFate](#): > > Chupacabra. Well then, I’d have to blame **Scruloose** for squeezing a goat into a squirrel proof feeder. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-attacked-our-bird-feeder-something-scary/321251/23 "2005-09-13T15:57:29Z")
Looking at the pictures, I might actually vote more for racoon–though I was’t aware that they were all that strong. With a bear, I would expect the thing to not just be torn off of its brackets, but to be fairly well deformed. That the device is still pretty much in it’s old form except for the tabs makes me think that it would have been pulled instead of knocked down. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-attacked-our-bird-feeder-something-scary/321251/24 "2005-09-13T16:03:09Z")
> [@Sage Rat](#): > > Looking at the pictures, I might actually vote more for racoon–though I was’t aware that they were all that strong. With a bear, I would expect the thing to not just be torn off of its brackets, but to be fairly well deformed. That the device is still pretty much in it’s old form except for the tabs makes me think that it would have been pulled instead of knocked down. That’s one of my big reasons. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-attacked-our-bird-feeder-something-scary/321251/25 "2005-09-13T17:00:31Z")
> [@](#): > > Plus - I’ve never even _seen_ a teenager around here. There are several websites with eyewitness accounts from people who have seen teenagers in Maine. There was even this one guy who was able to get several minutes’ worth of out-of-focus video footage of what appears to be a teenager. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-attacked-our-bird-feeder-something-scary/321251/26 "2005-09-13T17:09:54Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > There are several websites with eyewitness accounts from people who have seen teenagers in Maine. There was even this one guy who was able to get several minutes’ worth of out-of-focus video footage of what appears to be a teenager. Yes, but if there ARE teenagers about ,why are there no skeletal remains? No fossils? No campsites with half-devoured pizzas and such? ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-attacked-our-bird-feeder-something-scary/321251/27 "2005-09-13T17:30:09Z")
I have nothing to add in terms of the guesses about which critter was responsible. Just a mild point to add… when you’re talking about metal bars or fittings, the strength needed to bend something _out_ of shape can be far less than the strength needed to straighten it again. This was the basis for an old sideshow ‘strong man’ stunt or trick. Performer shows a moderately thick steel or iron bar. Puts a bend in it, with much fake display of strength. Then passes it out challenging anyone to straighten it again. In point of fact, the bending would only require a fraction of the strength it would take to straighten it again. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-attacked-our-bird-feeder-something-scary/321251/28 "2005-09-13T17:38:47Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > Yes, but if there ARE teenagers about ,why are there no skeletal remains? No fossils? No campsites with half-devoured pizzas and such? Teenages? Sheesh. :: Puts on tinfoil hat :: ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-attacked-our-bird-feeder-something-scary/321251/29 "2005-09-13T18:24:23Z")
Usually, when something breaks into a squirrel-proof birdfeeder, the culprit is a squirrel. The MO doesn’t quite seem to indicate that here, but squirrels can be mighty resourceful at getting into them. Heck, I wouldn’t put it past a squirrel to pile stones on top of the feeder until it collapsed from the weight, or somthing of the sort. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-attacked-our-bird-feeder-something-scary/321251/30 "2005-09-13T19:22:58Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Heck, I wouldn’t put it past a squirrel to pile stones on top of the feeder until it collapsed from the weight, or somthing of the sort. Heck, I wouldn’t put it past a squirrel to hire the bears as “muscle”. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-attacked-our-bird-feeder-something-scary/321251/31 "2005-09-13T20:02:41Z")
How big are your squirrels? Perhaps it was a rodent of unusual size. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-attacked-our-bird-feeder-something-scary/321251/32 "2005-09-13T21:21:48Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > There are several websites with eyewitness accounts from people who have seen teenagers in Maine. There was even this one guy who was able to get several minutes’ worth of out-of-focus video footage of what appears to be a teenager. [Mainer] Ayup, little known fact abaht Maine - not only ah billboards outlahwed, but so are the teenagahs. Ayup. [/M] OK, I supposed I deserved that, and should have clarified that I haven’t seen any teenagers around this subdivision. I’m pretty sure I saw one once at a McDonalds in Portland though. > [@ShibbOleth](#): > > Heck, I wouldn’t put it past a squirrel to hire the bears as “muscle”. Yes, it’s all starting to make sense now. Notice the squirrel in [this pic](http://usera.imagecave.com/scruloose/DSCF0056.JPG). Notice how he’s not looking _up_ at the feeder, but down - _where he thought it was supposed to be_! Yes. It’s time to bring Mr. “Squirrel” in for some questioning. :dubious: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-attacked-our-bird-feeder-something-scary/321251.md?page=1)