Squirrels: Do you love 'em or hate 'em? The Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus Carolinensis), is North Carolina's state mammal, designated as such by the legislature in 1969. They're cute, furry and have wonderful personalities. They're very curious and have an amazing capacity for learning.

They also dig in your flower beds and systematically attack bird feeders. Just another of Mother Nature's creatures doing what it's told by years of evolution.

Squirrels are driven by hunger and are intelligent enough to find food wherever and however they can. It's been said that if squirrels were the size of great white sharks the human race would not exist. Chapel Hill squirrels seem to be exceptionally smart, not to mention rather athletic. Could it be the proximity to the university?

So how do you keep these determined rodents from eating all of your bird seed? Believe it or not, there are many different methods, and most of them actually work, if used under the right circumstances.

There are a number of good squirrel-proof feeders on the market. Most are designed to keep squirrels from accessing the seed in one way or another. Some have cages surrounding a tube feeder. The size of the mesh allows smaller birds access to the tube but will not let the furry guy in. The farther the mesh is from the tube, the harder it is for fuzz-butt to reach the seed. Other feeders have collapsible perches that don't give a squirrel a place to sit, but will support the weight of most of the smaller birds.

Some of the most effective squirrel-proof feeders are made by Droll Yankees and Brome. They are usually large, tube type feeders with weight activated mechanisms. Some close off the seed source, while others send the squirrel for a spin. They are generally not inexpensive, but what you'll save in seed costs will more than make up for the initial investment. These feeders do well hanging in trees and elsewhere, but you need to keep them at least 16 inches from where a squirrel can reach. Hanging them on a standard "shepherd's hook" renders them ineffective. A squirrel will climb up the pole, reach out to the feeder and, not putting any weight on it, get to the seed.

Another method is to set up a pole system with a baffle. This way you stop squirrels from ever getting to your feeders. Baffles should be made of metal (not plastic), and need to be mounted with the top four and a half feet from the ground. Most squirrels have a vertical leap of only four feet. This type of pole system must be located at least eight feet from any place where a squirrel can launch. Otherwise, the baffle only deters them from one direction.

Seed choice can also play a part. Most squirrels find the bitter taste of safflower rather off-putting. The same goes for hot pepper seed, usually hulled sunflower coated with cayenne pepper, with names like "hot meats" and "chili chips". There is also suet available that is made with hot pepper. Don't worry about the birds, they neither taste nor feel the heat. Unlike mammals, birds' receptor cells are largely insensitive to capsaicin. Be sure to wash your hands though.

Some people think relocation is the best answer. Trapping squirrels in a humane trap and transporting them to another neighborhood might get them out of your hair, but could be bad for the squirrels. They may try to find their way home, which is dangerous at the very least. Interloper squirrels will not be welcomed in a close-knit squirrel community, giving them a slim chance of survival, not to mention the prospect of splitting up families.

And if you can't beat 'em, feed 'em. You could always feed the squirrels some distance away from your feeders in the hope that they will be drawn away, at least temporarily, giving your avian friends full access. In any event, don't let squirrels ruin your appreciation of your backyard birds. Learn to live in harmony with the natural world around you. There's enough stress in our lives already.