Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Ingenious Gray Squirrel

By: Tom Berg

I hate to say it, but those pesky gray squirrels are ingenious! Anyone who has put out a birdfeeder with peanuts or sunflower seeds knows that it usually does not take squirrels long to figure out a way to get at the seeds. Even “squirrel-proof” feeders are not always safe from the little raiders, so don’t place them near trees!

Eastern gray squirrels are not only smart, they are very prolific, too. They breed twice per year, having anywhere from 2-8 young per litter. So it does not take long for squirrel populations to explode. They live a fairly long life, too, often living to 10 years or more in the wild. Some of their natural predators include humans, hawks, owls, snakes, coyotes and raccoons.

Gray squirrels do not hibernate in the winter. They spend the cold nights in a nest made of twigs and dry leaves high up in the trees. A nest like this is called a “drey”. They also nest in tree cavities. Shortly after sunrise, they come out and head down to the ground in search of food.

Squirrels will eat a wide range of foods, but some of their favorites include sunflower seeds, acorns, walnuts, hickory nuts, corn, maple tree seeds, berries and other tree nuts. They have even been known to eat bird eggs when food was scarce. But birdfeeders filled with seeds are an unending temptation to them.

One way to keep gray squirrels off of your bird feeders is to use a baffle on the post that supports the feeder. There are several types of baffle out there, but a simple cone shape made of sheetmetal works very well. Just make sure the baffle is a good three or four feet off the ground or the squirrels will simply jump up on top of the baffle and climb to the feeder from there. Also, be sure the feeders are far enough away from nearby trees, posts or other feeders – or the squirrels will jump from them onto your feeder. They are clever little rascals!

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