Squirrels are omnivores and opportunistic feeders that spend much of the day foraging for food and eating. Squirrels are attracted to nuts, fruits, seeds, and sometimes fungi during the summer when these food sources are readily available. Another part of a squirrel diet is small insects, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. With this variety of food, and the fact that squirrels spend a lot of their time in trees, people often wonder if squirrels eat baby birds.
Do Squirrels Eat Baby Birds?
Yes, it is true that baby birds are sometimes prey to squirrels. A squirrel may not directly seek out a bird nest to eat them, but they may strike at the opportunity to eat baby birds if they’re hungry and the babies are without a parent.
Since squirrels are opportunistic feeders, they seek out any food that is readily available to them. Because they are often seen eating nuts and seeds, people often assume that squirrels don’t eat meat. However insects, birds, reptiles, mammals and eggs can all be part of a squirrels diet.
Baby birds provide squirrels with protein, vitamins and nutrients they need in their diet. This is more likely to happen during years when other food sources are scarce. For example, some years trees don’t produce many acorns or pinecones due to environmental conditions.
This means squirrels will have to work harder to find food and may turn to other protein sources such as eggs, baby birds, small reptiles and insects.
Types of Squirrels Known to Eat Baby Birds
Pretty much any squirrel species, and even chipmunks, may engage in this behavior. However, some squirrel species are more aggressive and territorial than others.
The American Red Squirrel is a common predator to baby birds and is known to be territorial and highly aggressive. Red Squirrels are not only aggressive towards birds, but they are also known for being aggressive toward their own species.
Although heavily populated throughout North America, Eastern Gray Squirrels are fairly docile compared to Red Squirrels. Eastern Gray Squirrels prefer to eat nuts and fruits, but will eat baby birds if they are hungry enough and other food is scarce.
Do Squirrels Eat Bird Eggs?
Eggs are definitely a nutritious food source for hungry squirrels. If a mother bird leaves a nest with eggs unattended, squirrels can creep in and take the eggs.
Mother birds spend most of the day guarding the nest to incubate the eggs, but they will leave the nest for short periods of time to feed. Typically squirrels will not attack an adult bird sitting on the nest, rather they will wait for the eggs to be unattended.
Bird species where males and females share responsibilities for incubation and caring for nestlings often have the greatest success in defending against predators.
Sometimes both males and females will incubate the eggs, but most mother birds incubate the eggs alone. Some male birds will give females a break to go find food or will remain close to the nest to help in defense.
These cooperative bird species, such as Downy Woodpeckers, are often successful in defending the nesting site against predators, since there is typically always one parent wat