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Squirrel Facts
Squirrels spend a lot of time and energy
eating. They eat more than their body weight in food each week.
Two pairs of sharp
incisors enable squirrels to gnaw through nuts. These incisors also allow
them to gnaw through many feeders.
Squirrels have been known to gnaw on
electrical wires and have caused financial damage and power outages in some cases.
Squirrels can jump up to 5 to 6 feet
vertically, and they can leap 8 to 10 feet between objects.
They have the ability to scale trees, houses
and many other surfaces.
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They have the ability to cling from objects
with their back foot toes (with support from their tail) which allows them to hang upside
down and use their front paws to stuff their faces.
Squirrels have a highly elevated olfactory
sense; they can smell food from great distances. This, of course, makes it easy for
squirrels to detect the food we put out for the birds. You may see squirrels
"running" away with food from the feeders. Squirrel frequently hoard food for a
later time. Finding the food they hoard is mostly dependent on squirrels smelling where it
has been hidden.
Not Feeding Squirrels
 People
either seem to love squirrels, put up with them, or hate them.
Many people complain that the squirrels are
eating
the birds’ food and destroying the bird feeders. We can suggest squirrel
"proof" feeders (feeders that eliminate the squirrels), creating a squirrel
"proof" set up (setups that baffle the feeders) or making existing feeders
squirrel "proof." In all situations we can help people deal with squirrels and
better enjoy the hobby of birdfeeding.
The methods used in squirrel resistant set ups can be applied to existing feeders. Existing feeders can be fitted with the On Guard™ wire mesh protector available at Wild Birds Unlimited. It is designed to keep squirrels from reaching the seed in tube feeders.
Safflower can also be used in feeders to
discourage squirrels (and blackbirds) from eating from the feeders. Safflower is only
effective if used exclusively in the feeder.
Feeding Squirrels
For some people, providing squirrel food may deter squirrels from bothering
the bird feeders. For other people feeding squirrels is actually fun.
It is recommended that people who feed the squirrels place food away from window sills or door steps so as to discourage squirrels coming through screens or doors into houses. Feeding stations for squirrels should also be placed away from the regular bird feeding stations. There are many good feeders for feeding squirrels. Birds attracted to nuts and corn may also visit these feeders.
Squirrel Houses
Squirrels will live in many backyards. In the
wild, they have no trouble finding appropriate homes in which to live, but, in urban areas
where there may be a lack of trees, it is more of a challenge for the squirrels and the
humans, if squirrels choose to nest in human dwellings. Squirrels nesting in human
structures can cause damage to wires and insulation, and can increase unwanted noise,
smells and parasites.
Placing squirrel houses in urban areas can
help reduce the possibility of squirrels nesting in unwanted locations. Squirrel houses
should be placed away from human dwellings at least 15’above the ground. They should
face south and away from prevailing winds. Boxes can be cleaned in mid to late summer if
there are no babies present.
Relocating Squirrels
Many people decide that they just can’t live with the squirrels. The
squirrels may be doing too much damage to electrical wiring, in the garden, or to human
structures. Squirrels can be live trapped. Be sure to check with your state agencies for
any regulations that may apply to trapping animals.
Squirrels have to be transported at least a
few miles (five is considered safe) away, or they may find their way back home. One
problem with relocating is that if the squirrel is relocated to an already populated area,
the newcomer may create a disruption. The disruption could cause the relocated squirrel to
be driven out of the area by more aggressive squirrels or be the cause of existing
squirrels being driven out. This can result in either one being homeless and without
adequate food source. Some squirrels have been known to be traumatized to the point of
death during transportation. If squirrels are removed from an area, it usually creates a
vacuum that is filled eventually by more squirrels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I keep the squirrels out of my feeders?
 One of the most effective ways to keep
squirrels from feeders is to place a baffle on the pole or above the feeder and situate
the feeder so the squirrel cannot reach it. Squirrels can jump 4-5 feet high and across
5-10 feet. A baffle will make it harder for the squirrels to reach the seed. Visit one of
our Wild Birds Unlimited stores and we will show you all the different ways to help keep
squirrels from reaching your feeders.
Q: I am having trouble with squirrels at my feeder. I want to try the hot
pepper I’ve heard about other people using to deter squirrels. Is it OK to
use?
We do not recommend
using hot pepper products as a way to deter squirrels. There are many ways
to keep squirrels from reaching the feeders and seed.
In the quest to keep squirrels from eating at birdfeeders, many people
are looking for an easy fix. Capsicum (hot pepper) treated birdseed has been
suggested as an effective way to keep squirrels from dining at feeders.
Unfortunately, the capsicum solution is not a lasting one. The results of
testing done at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to determine whether or not
squirrels would eat birdseed treated with capsicum showed that the effect
capsicum-treated seed had on squirrels was short-term mouth irritation.
Eventually, the squirrels learned to eat the capsicum-treated birdseed if
there was nothing else available for them to eat.
Additionally, not enough research has been done on the effect
capsicum-treated birdseed has on birds. A Cornell University Department of
Animal Science study on the effect of capsicum-treated seed on poultry
demonstrated that egg production was reduced in hens that were fed only the
capsicum-treated feed during a five-month period. When eaten, these birds
also exhibited a spicy flavor, indicating that the capsicum was absorbed to
some degree into their systems. It should be noted that the facilitators of
the study believe birds that are fed a variety of foods normally found in
their diet and some capsicum-treated seed would potentially not be
negatively-affected by the treated seed. However, more testing needs to be
done to understand the full implications of capsicum on wild birds.
It has also been documented that if capsicum gets in a person’s eyes, it
will cause irritation. Those feeding the birds capsicum-treated birdseed
should be careful to stand down wind and not touch their eyes when filling
their feeders. Children should not handle this product.
Until the effects of capsicum on wild birds have been completely
determined, we encourage backyard birdfeeding hobbyists to find alternative
solutions to deal with squirrels at their birdfeeders. Baffles and
birdfeeders, when properly placed, can effectively deter squirrels.
Squirrel-resistant birdfeeders can help people enjoy birds at their feeders
while keeping the squirrels at bay.
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