The Eastern grey squirrel is found all over the eastern US and Canada. It has also been brought in to England and South Africa. It is notorious for driving out other types of squirrels, including the smaller red squirrel. It is also well known for raiding bird feeders and suet holders. Squirrels will even eat bird eggs and baby birds. Most birders actively try to drive away squirrels in their areas.



Named Sciurus carolinensis, the grey squirrel actually comes in the color black as well. Most of the squirrels in Canada are of the black variety, while most in the US are of the grey variety.

Squirrels eat nuts and seeds, and store them away for winter hibernation. They have litters of young twice each year - in April and September. They bear from 1-6 young, and the young take around 3 months to leave the nest fully. They live for around 6-10 years.

There are a number of squirrel baffles on the market to protect feeders. They have limited success; squirrels are notoriously good at finding a way into a feeder anyway. The best ones involve a pressure plate which closes the feeder when the weight of a squirrel is on it. A feeder on a pole, far from trees, with a baffle beneath it also works reasonably well.

Here are some photos of a squirrel which lept into my window feeder, while my cat watched.







Here's a MPG video of the Squirrel!
Squirrel Video (504k MPG)

Eastern Chipmunk Photos and Information
Common Raccoon Photos and Information
Red Squirrel Photos and Information