Michael J Davis

Now that our bird feeders are well established, I have a query about
squirrel behaviour.

The squirrel(s) that visits extracts a nut from the nut feeder with
his/her teeth, transfers it (while still inverted) to his paws, takes a
small bite, and then transfers it back to teeth so it can run off and
bury it.

The sqls were doing this with the Horse chestnuts back in October, every
buried chestnut had a small bite mark in it. (i.e consumed or removed,
not just teeth marks.)

Is this typical behaviour? Is it a quality control check, or just a way
of getting a proportion of food while doing the job - or smething more
exotic like adding identity in the way of saliva etc. so it can be
claimed when disinterred?

Thanks for your comments.

Mike

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Michael J Davis
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Doctor J. Frink

On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 12:05:16 +0000, Michael J Davis
<?.?@trustsof.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>Now that our bird feeders are well established, I have a query about
>squirrel behaviour.
>
>The squirrel(s) that visits extracts a nut from the nut feeder with
>his/her teeth, transfers it (while still inverted) to his paws, takes a
>small bite, and then transfers it back to teeth so it can run off and
>bury it.

With acorns they do this to bite out the kernel which would otherwise
germinate, grow and so use up the acorn. I suspect they do it with any
nuts they bury for the same reason. Luckily they don't always get the
kernel (or remember where they buried everything) so some do get buried
and germinate.

Frink

--
Doctor J. Frink : 'Rampant Ribald Ringtail'
See his mind here : http://www.cmp.liv.ac.uk/frink/
Annoy his mind here : pjf at cmp dot liv dot ack dot ook
"No sir, I didn't like it!" - Mr Horse

Michael J Davis

Doctor J. Frink <frink@homer.cmp.liv.ac.uk> observed
>On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 12:05:16 +0000, Michael J Davis
><?.?@trustsof.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>Now that our bird feeders are well established, I have a query about
>>squirrel behaviour.
>>
>>The squirrel(s) that visits extracts a nut from the nut feeder with
>>his/her teeth, transfers it (while still inverted) to his paws, takes a
>>small bite, and then transfers it back to teeth so it can run off and
>>bury it.
>
>With acorns they do this to bite out the kernel which would otherwise
>germinate, grow and so use up the acorn. I suspect they do it with any
>nuts they bury for the same reason. Luckily they don't always get the
>kernel (or remember where they buried everything) so some do get buried
>and germinate.

Thanks.

Doesn't make much difference really as they never seem to find them!!

Mike

[The reply-to address is valid for 30 days from this posting]
--
Michael J Davis
<><
Some newsgroup contributors appear to have confused
the meaning of "discussion" with "digression".
<><

Tim Lamb

In message <UhSoVpCY7WwDFw2O@trustsof.demon.co.uk>, Michael J Davis
<?.?@trustsof.demon.co.uk> writes
>>>The squirrel(s) that visits extracts a nut from the nut feeder with
>>>his/her teeth, transfers it (while still inverted) to his paws, takes a
>>>small bite, and then transfers it back to teeth so it can run off and
>>>bury it.
>>
>>With acorns they do this to bite out the kernel which would otherwise
>>germinate, grow and so use up the acorn. I suspect they do it with any
>>nuts they bury for the same reason. Luckily they don't always get the
>>kernel (or remember where they buried everything) so some do get buried
>>and germinate.

I think they use *shotgun* tactics. Our Greys seem unable to remember
where they hid the last nut but burying so many means they have a chance
of finding some in Spring. Most seem to be found by Carrion Crows on our
lawn.

They seem particularly fond of Walnuts.

regards
--
Tim Lamb