[mou] Re: [mnbird] squirrel eating a bird!?-Hennepin Cty

[Richard Pertile]

Paul,
this is actually a common occurance with red squirrels but I have never 
actually heard of a gray squirrel eating a bird although it obviously must 
happen from time to time.  I have had gray squirrels on rare occasion eat 
woodduck or merganser eggs from my nest boxes, but this too has been very 
rare.

Rick
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul E. Wicklund" <wickl002@tc.umn.edu>
To: <mnbird@lists.mnbird.net>; <mou-net@cbs.umn.edu>
Sent: Monday, July 11, 2005 4:56 PM
Subject: [mnbird] squirrel eating a bird!?-Hennepin Cty


> This was a first for me. A gray squirrel eating a bird--head was gone
> already, but the color and relatively longish wings looked like a
> nuthatch. This was a major meal, feathers and all! It sat up nibbling it
> just as it would an acorn, periodically flicking its tail to chase away
> the flies. There were only a few scattered feathers when the job was
> done.
>  On a happier note, we have watched an incredible array of babies being
> fed in the last couple of weeks--at least two broods of orioles,
> red-bellied woodpeckers, blue jays, nuthatches, chickadees, wrens(who
> are already working another nest), house finches and chipping sparrows.
> The phoebe is sitting on the nest, so they will soon join in.
>
> Jan Wicklund
>
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