Grey Squirrels

The grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis is the most seen wild mammal of towns and town gardens, as they are able to take advantage of any available environment including parks and gardens. Here they become semi-tame, even to the point where they can be handfed titbits. An indication of their adaptability is that they are a relatively new species, only being introduced from North America a hundred and thirty years ago.

They are a species that produce mixed feelings, loved by those who feed them but detested by others who see them as an invader to our shores damaging woodlands and having a detrimental effect on our native wildlife.

Diet

Squirrels are opportunist feeders taking advantage of anything that is available. The list is long but includes nuts, fruit and seeds. These food items are not a problem but there are others that make them a pest.

In the garden they will eat flowers, take fruit and even dig up bulbs. Grey squirrels strip bark from trees as they like the sap wood, this can be such a degree that it completely rings the tree, killing all which is above the ring. This produces trees and branches in a dangerous condition increasing the likelihood of falling. Even if the trees are not killed stripping off the bark will make them prone to fungal attack.

In The Garden

Feeding birds in gardens is very common, anyone who has grey squirrels in the neighbourhood will know how must of a pest they can be. They take large amounts of the food put out for the birds and it does not matter what sort of feeder you use or where you place it, they will find means to access it. This may be possible to live with but the grey squirrel not content with the speed feeders provide the feed, will open or tear them apart to access the complete contents. Fortunately you can buy metal squirrel proof bird feeders.

Grey squirrels provide further irritation to bird lovers as they will rob nest of both chicks and eggs. To reduce raiding on nest boxes a metal washer should be fixed around its entrance hole, preventing squirrels from gnawing the hole wider. The bottom of the nest box must be far enough away from the entrance hole so that squirrels cannot reach the eggs or chicks with their arms.

Rather than thinking of them as pests, if grey squirrels invade your garden you can take advantage of it and start feeding them. This is well worthwhile as watching them is very rewarding. It gives you an opportunity to see squirrels close up as otherwise it is quite difficult as they frequent tree tops.

Being close up enables you to see how they feed. They sit upright holding the food with their front feet and nibble away. Their teeth are strong enough to penetrate the outer shell of nuts and acorns.

Teeth from such activity become worn, to make up for this the teeth continually grow. Their food provides most of their water needs, but if you have a bird bath they will drink from it in summer.

It is better to provide a place off the ground for them to feed. They like a good viewing point to keep an eye out for predators.

However tame they become, you will notice that they are always on guard when feeding, now and then they stand up straight and look around, with ears pricked and sniff the air.

If you put the food on the ground they will pick it up but most likely run away to a safe place to eat it.

If you put food out grey squirrels will come to feed all year round. They rely more on the food provided in summer when their natural food is in shorter supply. Autumn provides a bonanza which they will feed on and store enough for winter.

Hibernation

Grey squirrels at times of plenty will store food. This they do by burying just below the surface, they will dig many stores. The stores are dug up when food is short, their memory providing the approximate place and their fine sense of smell doing the rest. Often the stores are either forgotten or just not needed, these seeds will germinate so providing a means of seed dispersal. It is a common misnomer that grey squirrels hibernate. In winter during warmer spells they have to feed, this is when the stores are dug up. To meet the cold winter their coat becomes longer and thicker.

Movement

The grey squirrel is an acrobat of the trees. They are excellent climbers and are often seen running and jumping through the trees on the thinnest of branches. This is eased by their weight of around a pound, and their tail which provides exceptional balance. The bushy tail is a vital organ for their mobility, reaching 9 inches making up almost half the overall body length of 20 inches.

On the ground squirrels are fast runners and can easily outrun predators like the domestic cat. Not often called upon to do so, grey squirrels are good swimmers.

Downfall of the Red Squirrel

The area where the grey squirrel has come most under fire, was it the reason for the downfall of the red squirrel ? This is an emotive subject as the red squirrel is a well loved animal. The squirrel we see in advertising and pictured in story books is always the red not the grey.

The story starts when the grey squirrel was introduced from America a hundred and thirty years ago. At the same time the numbers of reds declined most likely due to a pandemic. It seems that the greys spread into the then vacant niches faster than the reds could recover.

The grey squirrel is larger than the red but it is unlikely that it bullied its way into the country. Size is of lesser importance than adaptability, it seems that the grey is just better adapted to its environment. The grey is certainly more flexible and now dominates towns and deciduous woodland. Fortunately the red still holds its’ own in coniferous woodland but even here it still requires man to keep it so.

Over the years there have been measures implemented to reduced grey squirrel numbers. However even with this culling as one can see the grey squirrel still flourishes. The only chance for the red squirrel, is too see that such measures are concentrated where they still exist.

Reproduction

There are two mating seasons, spring and in mid winter. Before the mating the female is chased through the tree tops by males, one of which will be selected by the female. This is best seen during the second mating period when the trees are bare of leaves.

The pregnant female drives away the male and arranges the drey for the young. The drey is a roundish nest comprised of twigs, bark and leaves. It is lined with soft dry materials including moss and grass for the comfort of the offspring. Dreys can be seen among the tree branches, but they can also be built hidden in a tree hollow. Squirrels are not too fussy they will construct dreys in abandoned bird nests, nest boxes and have even been known in lofts.

Six weeks after mating the female gives birth to up to four, blind, deaf and bald offspring. For the first six weeks they are suckled after this they are gradually weaned. At ten weeks they are leaving the nest and within a month are driven off by the female. The juveniles reach breeding age within a year. If the juveniles survive the first year they may be very lucky and reach six years.

Predators

Grey squirrels have their predators, but living in trees these are mainly birds, including owls and hawks. Grey squirrels are good at avoiding these predators. However juveniles when they first leave the drey and are practising their tree skills are vulnerable. In towns these predators are not so common, however the domestic cat is. By far the most dangerous threat is man.