Subject: Re: squirrels
Date: Sep 4 14:39:12 1997
From: Deb Beutler - dbeutler at wsunix.wsu.edu


At this time, I can't think of any reference off the top of my head.
However, I can tell you about some research that has been conducted by my
advisor, Dr. James Hallett of WSU, and his wife, Dr. Margaret O'Connell of
Eastern Washington University.
We deal with logging and its effects on native vertebrates in
northeastern Washington. In one of our projects, we used artificial nests
filled with Japanese Quail eggs to try to assess the amount of predation on
nests in forests of different ages. The native gray squirrels were the most
common predators of eggs in our study. We have photographs of the squirrels
eating the eggs in the nest. They also stole the nesting material for their
own nests, destroying it in the process. In areas of high squirrel density,
nest predation was almost 100 percent. At this time, this data is
unpublished but I think he is working on getting it published.
Artificial nests are not the same as real nests and squirrel
predation on real nests may be lower than on artificial nests. In addition,
I don't know of any evidence about the eastern gray squirrels you are
talking about. However, the squirrels are approximately the same size and
they probably behave similarly. I would think that a squirrel would eat an
egg when they get a chance. Quail eggs are slightly larger than most
passerine eggs so if a squirrel can eat a quail egg, it can eat most
passerine eggs.
In my opinion, if they are not a native of that area, kill them. If
they are native, find other habitat and release them. We can't let nature
"take its course" because we are already messing with nature by providing
food for them in the first place. By providing food, we are increasing the
survival of the squirrels and keeping their population much higher than it
would be if we weren't here. The population might balance out eventually
but would we have any birds left? Unfortunately, we are now part of nature
and we have altered the balance in favor of the squirrel.
I will get off my soap box now. Feel free to flame me either in
person or over TWEETERS.

At 13:54 3/9/97 +0000, you wrote:
>I need references, if any exist, on the predation of Eastern Grey
>squirrels on birds, bird eggs, and other native fauna.
>I am trapping these pests in a private garden, where they destroy the
>bird feeders for sure, but I really don't have any ammunition about
>what other destructive behaviors they are up to.
>I am getting flak from the squirrel huggers, no offense if there be
>some lurking on tweeters, that we should let nature take it's
>course, and that if we didn't trap and remove them , the population
>would balance out, and settle down to "just a few" and it wouldn't be so
bad. Aside
>from the fact that I can't afford to buy the black sunflower seed
>that they gobble up, I am convinced that they are responsible for
>preying on the very birds that I am trying to encourage.
>AS for nature taking it's course, if my experience from my acre in
>Puyallup can be extrapolated, 24 acres of woodlands with feeders can
>support a LOT of squirrels. WE have trapped and removed 15 so far
>this summer. (we have never seen a native squirrel there, but would
>release them if we did catch one.)
>so if anyone has books they can recommend -( I have tried the
>encyclopedia Britannica and it is vague), that will tell me and
>anyone else who will listen whether or not Eastern Grey Squirrels
>have a deleterious effect on WESTERN BIRDS, I would appreciate it.
>Clarice Clark
>jbroadus at seanet.com
>Puyallup, WA. 98371
>
>
Deb Beutler
Department of Zoology
Washington State Univerisity
Pullman, Whitman Co., WA
dbeutler at wsunix.wsu.edu