This feeder is really easy to set up and very user friendly. It is easy to fill and easy to clean. It even has a spinning plastic seed guide to keep seeds from getting jammed. The birds came to it within the first hour. I don't know if they prefer it to a hanging feeder, but they sure don't seem to mind. We have quite a few squirrels in our yard and so far, none have attempted to climb the skinny, slick pole. I sure can't see how they would ever come close. I would definitely recommend one of these for your yard.