BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?

Subject: RE: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 09:30 PM

"Sort of hibernate" means that when it's cold they stay indoors and take it easy. Like lot of people.

Subject: RE: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: Bee
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 09:25 PM

We have red squirrels. First time I went to Ottawa, it was late August and I thought I was on a different planet. The grass was all yellow, almost all the trees were those burgundy-black ornamentals, and the squirrels were all jet black and the size of cats. Plus every single person there made more money than me.

Squirrels are a nuisance if they get in the house or at the bird feeders, but they're very, very smart little critters. I read not long ago that a female (red) squirrel will actually go out and claim extra territory, and will bequeath parts of it to her daughters, a strategy not very often seen.

Subject: RE: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: john f weldon
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 09:04 PM

Some of my neighbours hate the little dears, and have actually committed horrible acts of squirricide... ...which has never actually diminished their numbers. But I like them, because they are so damn clever at overcoming human ingenuity.

My bird feeder hangs from an eave over the garage door. They can't hang onto the tin eave, so they hang from the shingles by their hind legs and do a back flip onto the feeder. Then I push the button on the garage door opener, which scares the hell out of them and they leap wildly and randomly away. (So far, not into the mouth of a waiting cat!)

What fun. Maybe I should get a life.

Subject: RE: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 08:31 PM

Here in frozen Alberta, the native reds eat the spruce seeds from the cones they harvested, supplemented by feeders if they are in settled areas. They are active all winter.

The big grays and blacks are immigrants, brought from Toronto by a stupid bastard who thought he was doing Calgarians a favor (about 1920 or slightly before). They are a nuisance, gnawing into attics, and taking over through sheer increase in numbers. They are poor fighters compared to the smaller reds, but their numbers mean that they can attack red nests when the reds are out foraging. Periodically the city kills some of them out, but never systematically, so they are essentially uncontrolled. They are active all winter, sheltering only during blizzards.

Subject: RE: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: JennieG
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 08:20 PM

Thank you folks for the info! We thought they were cute but I'm aware that they are also considered a pest. I saw a black one running into someone's bird feeder that was hanging on a front verandah.

The links are most intreesting too, have any of you tried eating squirrel?

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: Bobert
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 08:12 PM

Fir all you Catters who think that squirrems hiberanate, it ain't so... Them sumabichs all come to my farm and raid my bird feeders... Yeah, summer come 'round and you don't see none of 'um but come winter??? Different story...

So here is my request... Will you all start feeding yer own squirrems so they won't migrate here???

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: ranger1
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 07:57 PM

Squirrels (the North American tree varieties) don't hibernate. They are active all winter and do a lot of eating. Bird feeders are a favorite source, but they also cache food for the winter. The grey ones tend to go more for acorns and other nuts and the red ones mainly eat conifer seeds. When they're not emptying bird feeders of all those lovely sunflower seeds. Flying squirrels and chipmunks both find cozy spaces and do a lot of snoozing, waking up and eating when their energy reserves can no longer keep their core temperatures at a stable level. Chipmunks winter solo in burrows below the frost line and flying squirrels den up together in tree cavities (or in the walls of people's houses) in order to share body heat. There's a great book by Bernd Heinrich called Winter World that goes into detail about how many North American species, from bugs to mammals, survive the cold.

Subject: RE: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: john f weldon
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 07:48 PM

The grey ones are around all winter. They get really FAT (HUGE, ridiculous!) in the fall and hide stuff all over. But they're always there.

They have well-hidden nests, often IN your house!!!

Yes, bird feeders, you can't fool them, they're pretty clever...

They'll still be running around long after the last human has turned to dust!

Subject: RE: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: bobad
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 07:47 PM

Squirrel recipes

Subject: RE: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: Beer
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 07:42 PM

The black and gray hibernate a lot easier that those little red bas.... that refuse to go to sleep but instead are busy at my feeders.
Beer (adrien)

Subject: RE: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: topical tom
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 07:41 PM

Here in Quebec they eat all the bird food they can reach.Hibernating they are most certainly not!

Subject: RE: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: mrdux
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 07:33 PM

out here in the relatively balmy PNW, they scamper around tormenting the dogs all winter, except on the few really cold days, when they hide in my sister-in-law's attic. for more general info, try here.

michael

ps -- a happy solstice to you all

Subject: RE: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 07:26 PM

The ones in our yard semi-hibernate. It's not usually 'very' cold here, so they eat the stuff they hid last Summer & Fall and live in nests & hollow trees and move slowly....

Subject: RE: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 07:25 PM

I'm not sure about Canada, but our squirrels, which originally came from there, sort of hibernate when it's cold, but if it's a sunny day, they wake up and rush around doing squirrel stuff.

Sensible creatures.

Subject: RE: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: GUEST,Slag
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 07:18 PM

Nuts

Subject: RE: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: Janie
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 07:11 PM

Into my attic and walls where they can run around hissing at each other and gnaw on the electrical wiring.

Janie

Subject: BS: Where do squirrels go in winter?
From: JennieG
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 07:06 PM

When Himself and I were in Toronto few months ago we were entertained by the squirrels we saw scampering everywhere, as we don't have those little critters in Oz. Shiny black ones and greyish-brown ones. One black squirrel in Kew Park at the Beaches had the most menacing look on its face I have ever seen in an animal as it strutted towards us, it was very bold! It set us pondering:

what do squirrels do in winter? do they hibernate like bears do? or do they scamper around on snowdrifts with pathetic looks on their little faces, looking for food?

Cheers
JennieG who often ponders on deep meaningful stuff - like, where do squirrels go in winter -