Do squirrels eat small birds?

Answer 1

Great question. And I love the answers you have received as well.

This is a perfect example of the need for people to actively explore the natural world around them in order to discover how it really operates. It also emphasize the unfortunate "mob mentality" on Yahoo Answers where someone will give a wrong answer and then a bunch of people parrot the incorrect reply just because it "sounds right".

Rest assured that most of the folks who answered are in fact clueless to reality. Squirrels will eat the eggs of birds and will also feed on newly hatched young birds. In fact certain city parks here in California have been virtually depopulated of nesting birds due to the high concentrations of Eastern Gray Squirrels. The squirrels don't need to eat eggs or young birds as their numbers are subsidized by the many generous yet ignorant people who feed them peanuts and all sorts of other treats, unwittingly contributing to the wiping out of myriad songbirds that would otherwise live here.

Answer 2

this is from the humane society

The squirrel diet varies with the seasons and the availability of plant material (such as nuts, fruits, flowers, and plant buds) that almost entirely makes up the animal's larder. Squirrels also occasionally eat bird eggs or nestlings, and may even pounce on small birds at feeders—much to the dismay of human witnesses who assume that squirrels are passive vegetarians

Answer 3

Indeed, squirrels have been known to partially eat birds chicks from nests if this is what you mean by small birds

Answer 4

Yes. Squirrels are omnivorous - meaning they will eat basically anything. They have been known to raid bird nests for eggs and babies. I have not heard of them actually attacking an adult bird of a small species, but that doesn't mean they don't. - I'm not sure about that part, but I'm sure about the eggs and babies.

Answer 5

Although squirrels don't hunt and are normally vegetarian, I have seen squirrels in a country park go through the bins for scraps. I once watched a squirrel pick a chicken drumstick out of a bin and scamper up into a tree where he proceeded to eat it. So they are not danger to small garden birds (other than pinching the food we put out for the birds) but like to eat birds that have been killed and cooked by people! They usually eat acorns and other types of nuts and seeds from trees.

Answer 6

Actually - some squirrels WILL raid birds nest and eat eggs and small nestlings. As far as capturing and eating small fully grown birds, though - probably not.

Answer 7

They are rodents, basically. I seriously doubt that they would eat a bird. Someone mentioned that they would eat eggs and baby birds, I've never heard that, but who knows?

They will eat a lot of things. Here you can buy corn for them to eat. I've heard they like peanut butter.

They do prefer to eat the bird seed in my feeder. After having them chew through and ruin a couple, I bought a metal and solved the problem. Although, they will also make short work of any bird suet put out as well.

Here, they favor nuts, mainly the hickory nuts from the surrounding trees. They will also go after walnuts but I think they'd prefer a nut that's not incased in the walnut ink and probably horrible tasting gunk that surrounds the actual nut.

Answer 8

There used to be a robin's nest on top of my porch, and it was really interesting to watch because it was right next to my glass door. Then a squirrel climbed up and ripped the thing apart. They do that with a lot of nests around here. I guess it was searching for the babies. o_0;

Answer 9

In the breeding season all Squirells both Grey and Red will take young birds from their nests

Answer 10

Ha, I have some bird feeders in my back yard.. Some squirrels try to get the feed. They eat what falls on the ground along side the birds. Like one big happy family. They do not bother them around here any way..I hang the feeders on fishing line thinner.. so squirrels can't climb onto feeders. Helps. Pem