Gardeners are being urged to sprinkle coffee on their bird tables in order to banish an unwanted invader.

Grey squirrels might look cute, but they are actually an invasive species which have pushed out red squirrels in British gardens and countryside.

The vicious grey critters attack birds’ nests, eat their eggs, kill their young and also damage trees by stripping their bark, all while pushing out native red squirrels.

That’s why gardeners are being urged to protect their gardens from grey squirrels by stopping them from eating from bird feeders and bird tables – using coffee granules.

Not only will this stop grey squirrels from coming into your garden to feed, it will also protect your bird feed from being stolen away, leaving it to be eaten by birds which really need it instead.

To shield food from squirrels, simply sprinkle coffee on your bird feeder or table along with the bird seed mix itself. 

According to garden website Green Feathers: “In one of God's mysteries, squirrels don't like the smell of coffee! We're not quite sure who took it upon themselves to discover this, but we're thankful they did. Now when we're starting the day with our morning coffee, we can quickly visit our bird feeder and make it squirrel-proof. 

“If you're worried about the squirrel's wellbeing, don't worry it doesn't cause them any harm. It just deters them, that's all. So it's a very humane method to keeping your bird feeder for well, just birds.

“You'll want to sprinkle roughly a one-inch layer of coffee grounds around your bird feeder will get the job done. It doesn't even matter whether they're decaf or regular. We'd recommend replenishing these about once a week to keep the squirrel-free shield up.”

As an aside, if you have a flat bird table, be sure to clean this regularly and remove any uneaten food that’s been exposed to the elements, as an investigation is currently ongoing into the potential spread of bird disease on flat bird tables.

According to British Red Squirrel.org, a survey by the Forestry Commission of vulnerable woodlands in Great Britain estimated that 100% of sycamore, 66% of beech, 30% of oak and sweet chestnut stands had been damaged by grey squirrels. 

It added: “Grey squirrels eat song-bird chicks and eggs. Research carried out by the Game Conservancy and Wildlife Trust demonstrates that grey squirrels have an adverse impact on many native woodland birds, reducing fledging rates by an average of 15%.

"Grey squirrels can damage maize and fruit crops. They are a threat to orchards and market gardens. They destroy bulbs and corms, eat tree nuts, recently sown seeds and enter into roof voids, damaging thatched and shingled roofs, telephone wires and electricity cables.