Roaring Fork Valley needs to consider bird feeders ‘bear feeders’

It’s that time of the year again, when locals need to consider removing bird feeders as hungry bears come out of their winter slumber in search of food. By sticking to the bear necessities, community members can help reduce the risk of conflict.

According to the city of Aspen, homeowners are required to suspend bird feeders off the ground where a bear can’t reach from April 15 to Nov. 15. There must also either be something underneath feeders to catch seeds or daily sweeping underneath the feeder.

But Lara Xaiz, Aspen Parks and Open Space wildlife coordinator, recommends removing bird feeders altogether. 

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“Bird feeders get bears closer to the home, and eventually, they may enter those homes looking for food inside,” Xaiz said. “They can break windows, break doors, and it can lead to a lot of property damage. We’re really trying to get upstream of the problem as much as we can because once a bear has entered a home, there aren’t many tools left in the toolbox. They become a public safety hazard.”

So far this season, she ​​has only identified one potential bear incident in Aspen. When out patrolling alleyways, which she’s been doing once a week, she saw a trash can she believes a bear had gotten into. 

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Last year saw a huge jump in trash intrusion reports from the previous year, going from 127 reports in 2023 to 294 in 2024. Xaiz notes that this jump could be due to the fact that she patrolled more of the Aspen area in 2024 than the previous data collector did in 2023. 

But both she and Daniela Kohl, founder of local nonprofit Roaring Fork Valley Bear Coalition (RFVBC), also point out that 2023 was a really good food year for bears, which changed in 2024. Last year saw late frost wipe out most of the local berry crop, with a June so dry that there were almost no acorns going into the fall. Without their natural food sources, bears turned to town.

Once deemed a public safety hazard, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) will remove the bear from the population.

Kohl explains that the spring season sees bears attempting to replenish their nutrients after an extended period without food. Bird feeders are especially attractive to bears because they’re what the CPW calls “convenient calorie sources.”

She emphasizes that bears have incredibly powerful noses, able to sniff out feeders from far away, and GPS-like memories that remember the location of those attractants. They’re also trapeze artists, able to reach even the feeders that homeowners might assume look inaccessible. 

According to her, removing bear attractants is the most effective way to reduce the risk of bear conflicts in the valley. Relocating bears to a different area is what she calls “a feel-good method” that’s not actually beneficial. She confirms that bears will return to their home range within seven to 10 days, sometimes faster. And if they do remain in the new territory, they’re going to have a very hard time competing with the animals already established there.

She recommends bird nesting boxes as an alternative to bird feeders to support local avian populations. She also said that planting flowers can act as natural attractants to birds and hummingbirds, so enthusiasts can welcome those species into their yards without enticing bears to stop by. 

“We’re trying to prevent them from getting food conditioned and human habituated,” Kohl said. “We want to be proactive instead of reactive. Don’t feel pity for them. They’ll find food.”

According to Xaiz, it’s difficult to tell right now how 2025 will shape up. CPW will have a more accurate understanding based on 2025’s berry crop in mid to late June. 

In the meantime, all Aspen residents are encouraged to consider removing bird feeders, to commit to bear-proof trash cans, and to always call the new bear hotline at 970-920-BEAR upon seeing a bear acting suspiciously in town. Xaiz assures residents that reporting a bear does not mean the bear will be euthanized; instead, it will actually increase the chances the bear has of surviving by deterring it before it becomes fully food conditioned.

Both Aspen Parks and Open Space department and RFVBC can assist homeowners with bear-proof trash cans, electric mats, and education.

“You always have to think ahead of the bears, and they have so much time on their paws that they always have a new trick in the book for how to break in,” Kohl said. “​​We can never let our guard down. I think those days are over if we want coexistence.”