Squirrels thrive in Bowmanville much like they do all across Canada. They have won the hearts of many Canadians despite the havoc that they sometimes wreak when they get inside buildings. We can’t help but fall in love with these furry little foragers because they do the cutest things. But of course, we need to get squirrel control to help when they invade our Bowmanville homes and offices.
The Nature of Squirrels
Squirrels are independent and are usually safe to be around due to their docile nature. But they are also quite entertaining to observe as they display a wide range of intriguing movements, body language, and facial expressions. They spend most of the warm months stacking up nuts and fat stores for the winter.
The Face of Squirrel and the Varying Messages they Send
A squirrel may pause its movements perk its head up while staring intently ahead and if needs be in the direction of any perceived threat or opportunity and that quizzical look that makes you wonder if the squirrel is thinking ‘why is that human looking at me? What’s happening here? I wonder if he’s after my stash of nuts?’
Squirrel Movement – Energetic and Calculated
The enthusiastic and sometimes frenzied spurts of energy expended as squirrels dash from one location to the next can leave observers in awe… and a little confused admittedly. The little guys are so full of energy that it can be tiring to just watch their antics. One squirrel movement, dashing in zigzag patterns, is very useful when they need to escape predators. The squirrel starts off sprinting in one direction then swiftly changes direction multiple times, often leaving the chaser in a daze. What an amazing survival skill to have!
A squirrel with a nut is an intriguing sight to observe. The furry little forager will glance around seemingly to figure out if curious eyes are watching, before identifying and frantically digging into the selected hiding spot. Once the nuts are stashes safely, the squirrel will cover the spot quickly and dash away seemingly to avoid the secret hiding place being discovered. This behaviour is known among squirrel enthusiasts as caching. Squirrels are known to feign stashing their nuts to trick and confuse onlookers. They will also return to sites and remove nut stashes and rebury them when they are sure no one is looking.
Communication – The Squirrel Way
Squirrels are not only intriguing in the way they move, but the way they relate to each other is also an interesting phenomenon. A squirrel’s tail, for example, says a lot about the animal’s state of mind. Quick and sudden flickers reflect frustration. According to Suzanne Macdonald, a New York Professor studying cognitive functions that motivate foraging behaviours, when a squirrel whips its tail like a flag it is probably sending a message to fellow squirrels that a predator is nearby. Researchers assert that the whipping of the tail is often used in combination with some sounds, to deliver the message.
When a Squirrel Stands Still
Although they are naturally skittish, squirrels may engage in the occasional staring standoff. Wildlife photographer Roger Stevens Jr. was fortunate enough to capture this evidence in the form of an image of a squirrel and a bald eagle in a ‘stare-off’. The image was so fascinating it was shared over 8000 times on Facebook. This was quite a daring act on the part of the squirrel since bald eagles are known predators of squirrels. Thankfully for the squirrel in Stevens’ photo, the bald eagle did not get a chance to snack on him as he escaped shortly after the picture was taken.
Squirrels are definitely among the quirkiest wildlife animals on earth. Knowledge of these unique Squirrel behaviours is used by expert humane wildlife control teams like Skedaddle to successfully tackle removal and prevention needs in the Bowmanville area.
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