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Do Squirrels eat birds eggs? (1 Viewer)

Peewit

Once a bird lover ... always a bird lover
Hi there

I would like to know if Squirrels are proven to eat bird eggs/young if given a chance to do so?

I have heard this and that over the years and would like to know what others think of the matter at hand. ;)

Regards
Kathy
x
 
Very much so - our squirrels destroyed two Dunnock nests for eggs last year and also killed young blackbirds in the nest.
I believe they are considered responsible for declines in hole/box nesting species as they chew in and eat whats inside.
Bad news all round Im afraid, and why they are often known as "tree rats".
A friend of mine traps and kills them in his suburban garden, and "got rid of" over 20 last year - but they keep coming back.............
 
Yes they do, my mums garden was a haven for nesting birds, and the grey squirrels soon put an end to that. My mum found it all very distressing.
Regards
Colin
 
Seen wholes bored out on bird boxes on my local and assumed it was them, Thanks for the confirmation.

Adding a metal ring around the whole of sorts keep them out or will they bore in another way sorry to go off topic.

karpman
 
I've read that red squirrels and chipmunks are the major nest predators (eggs and chicks) in the boreal forest.
 
I'm sure they do sometimes but would like to point out that I have numerous species nesting in my garden every year along with daily squirrel visits and have never known one nest or fledgling to be attacked.

Just to keep things in perspective.

Steve
 
Seen wholes bored out on bird boxes on my local and assumed it was them, Thanks for the confirmation.

Adding a metal ring around the whole of sorts keep them out or will they bore in another way sorry to go off topic.

karpman

That would be great spotted woodpeckers and not squirrels at work, Karpman.

Graham
 
I'm sure they do sometimes but would like to point out that I have numerous species nesting in my garden every year along with daily squirrel visits and have never known one nest or fledgling to be attacked.

Just to keep things in perspective.

Steve

Just to second that.

Also, despite having 8 Squirrels, 4+ Magpies, 3+ Carrion Crows, and 6 Jays, in my garden, it's the Jays that I see take young the most often. I've never seen a Crow or a Squirrel attacking or eating young, or eating eggs (Magpies are partial to Mice and juv Starlings).

Just another bit of "putting things in perspective".|=)|
 
Hi there

I would like to know if Squirrels are proven to eat bird eggs/young if given a chance to do so?

I have heard this and that over the years and would like to know what others think of the matter at hand. ;)

Regards
Kathy
x

There's a report, after research, somewhere by one of the bird organisations that says Grey Squirrels in UK do not have an impact on bird life, despite what is often said. Might be BTO... I'll try and find the reference. That doesn't mean they don't take eggs and young birds (not sure it says they do) but Gt Spotted and other birds are equally 'at fault'. Think it all needs researching in more depth. Try a Google search... I'm a bit busy! :–). On the same theme, Domestic Cats are another emotive issue...
 
Thousands of Greys have been shot over the years attempts to eliminate them all have failed miserably so it is something we all have to learn to live with. I do believe Jays are the biggest culprits when it comes to nest robbing.
 
There's a report, after research, somewhere by one of the bird organisations that says Grey Squirrels in UK do not have an impact on bird life, despite what is often said. Might be BTO... I'll try and find the reference. That doesn't mean they don't take eggs and young birds (not sure it says they do) but Gt Spotted and other birds are equally 'at fault'. Think it all needs researching in more depth. Try a Google search... I'm a bit busy! :–). On the same theme, Domestic Cats are another emotive issue...

I knew I'd seen something somewhere, it is on this forum!!! (brains and dangerous...).

see
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=160743

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8448000/8448807.stm


Grey squirrels do not have a significant impact on the populations of many of England's woodland bird species, a study has found.

Researchers from the British Trust for Ornithology and Natural England examined the impact of grey squirrels on 38 bird species across the country.
They found some evidence that grey squirrels may locally suppress the populations of some species.
But they do not appear to cause the birds any widespread or lasting harm.
The findings of the study, which contradict the view that grey squirrels have caused declines in British bird numbers over the past 40 years, are published in the Journal of Ornithology.
 
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Seems this thread is aimed at the misdemeanours of those dastardly non native Grey Squirrels. Our cuddly, innocent little Red Squirrels are also partial to the odd egg or two aswell.
 
Our cuddly, innocent little Red Squirrels are also partial to the odd egg or two aswell.

Which is probably an important factor in the conclusion that grey squirrels aren't a significant threat to birdlife: they don't act much different than their native relatives with regards to taking eggs (though with their habitat differences, I could believe it if someone found that the greys were raiding species that didn't ever deal with reds).

Here in the States, grey and fox squirrels are known to take eggs sometimes, but I get the impression that our red squirrels (different genus than grey, fox, or Eurasian red squirrels) have much more of an appetite for eggs and chicks, as well as taking over cavity nests. These guys aren't nearly as widespread in cities and towns, though.
 
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