Have you ever asked yourself or wonder ‘do squirrels eat bird eggs’? Do you find it strange that squirrels can eat bird eggs?
Most people would disagree with that fact. It is well known in almost every continent that squirrels love to eat their nuts. You do not expect the cute-looking squirrel to even consider eating a bird egg, do you?
However, if a squirrel was actually to eat a bird egg, what would be the reason behind it? Is it a myth or a fact? Keep reading the article to find out if squirrels do eat bird eggs.
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Can Squirrels Eat Bird Eggs?
One fantastic fact about squirrels is that they are omnivores. Does that come as a surprise to you? Well, it should not be. Squirrels can eat both plant matter and animal matter.
Squirrels will eat bird eggs. Many people have reported seeing squirrels eating bird eggs to their surprise. However, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to you. Squirrels do require proteins in their meal.
The only difference is that a squirrel will prefer to have its protein from plant matter instead of animal matter. That means that a squirrel will turn to eat bird eggs if there is no other food available option.
What most people don’t know is that squirrels eat almost anything for survival. A squirrel would prefer to eat an acorn, but it will not be picky if it is not available.
The unavailability of food is what would drive a squirrel to eat bird eggs. In most cases, when there is plenty of food, you are unlikely to see any squirrel eating bird eggs.
Do Squirrels Like Bird Eggs?
Squirrels have a wide variety of foods that they feed on both in the wild and in captivity.
One of which is bird eggs.
After learning that squirrels eat bird eggs, you will want to know if they enjoy eating them. Remember that a squirrel will turn to eat a bird egg because of its protein value.
When it comes to preference, the preferred food for squirrels is plant matter. This is depicted by the fact that during summer seasons when food is readily available, squirrels rarely eat bird eggs.
Squirrels may not like bird eggs, but it is convenient when food is scarce in the winter season. These animals are naturally ready to eat what is available to keep them alive. Once hunger attacks, the squirrel will turn to bird eggs.
Bird eggs are very convenient as they provide enough protein to the squirrel. A bird egg will easily supplement plant matter which is scarce at the moment.
It would be pretty wise if you also remembered that squirrels spend a lot of time climbing trees. That means it is much easier to access bird eggs that are unprotected. Squirrels may not access any protected eggs.
In conclusion, squirrels may not like eating bird eggs, but they are left with no other choice once it is convenient for them.
How Often Do Squirrels Eat Bird Eggs?
You may also want to know if squirrels eat bird eggs frequently. The most crucial point to remember in this case is that squirrels do anything for survival purposes. Squirrels will eat bird eggs, depending on the circumstances.
That means that a squirrel will opt for a bird egg after all other options are unavailable for it. Once a squirrel is hungry and plant matter is not readily available, squirrels will go for bird eggs.
In this case, you can expect to see a squirrel eating bird eggs more often when plant matter is scarce. Squirrels are known to do anything for them to survive.
Apart from scarcity, an abundance of squirrels can also lead to frequent eating of bird eggs. In a locality where there are plenty of squirrels, you can expect a lot of competition for food.
In this case, squirrels will turn to eat bird eggs because the available plant matter may not satisfy their hunger. Squirrels will seize any opportunity that comes their way for the sake of their survival.
What Are People Saying About Squirrels Eating Bird Eggs?
First of all, any person who has seen a squirrel eating a bird egg was surprised. That is because it never occurred to them that a squirrel could eat more than plant matter.
That will, of course, raise a few concerns. Most people worry that squirrels can interfere with bird populations within their area. If squirrels eat bird eggs, you would worry about a decrease in your area’s bird population.
If there is an increase in your area’s squirrel population, you will worry that more bird eggs will be eaten. Logically, that would mean that less nestling would hatch in your region.
In 2003, a study was carried out in England to determine if the rising number of gray squirrels affected the population of songbirds in the area. With a decrease in the number of songbirds, it became a concern that squirrels could be responsible.
However, the research proved that the gray squirrels were not affecting the population of the songbirds. Instead, the loss of woodland habitat within the area was named as the primary cause.
Squirrels may be eating bird eggs, but it is insignificant to affect the bird population in an area.
Is It Okay for Squirrels to Eat Bird Eggs?
Now that you are aware of squirrels eating bird eggs, do you find it okay? It may seem unusual at first, but it is perfectly normal. Squirrels have been eating bird eggs since time immemorial.
Eating bird eggs is very healthy for squirrels as it provides them with enough protein. It is incredible to learn that squirrels get more protein from bird eggs than they get from nuts.
That would explain why it is a dietary option when plant matter is scarce in the region. Outside of being a good source of protein for squirrels, it is readily available.
As squirrels move about on trees, they are likely to encounter several unattended bird eggs. That makes it very convenient for squirrels to opt for bird eggs.
It is also essential to understand that squirrels can hardly affect birds’ population by eating their eggs. Remember, squirrels turn to eat bird eggs only when plant matter is scarce in the environment.
Apart from Bird Eggs, Which Other Eggs Do Squirrels Eat?
After learning that squirrels eat bird eggs, you have concerns about any other eggs that can be targeted. If you keep poultry in an area with plenty of squirrels, should it be a concern to you?
It is interesting to learn that squirrels will also eat chicken eggs. If squirrels lack to find any bird eggs around and they’re starving, expect them to turn to chicken eggs.
Squirrels are bent on surviving no matter the situation they are in. When plant matter is scarce, squirrels eat almost anything they find. With eggs being good sources of protein, be sure that a squirrel will turn to chicken eggs.
If you have chicken coops, please use it to keep your chicken safe and secure from squirrels. Check for any weak spots and make the necessary adjustments.
Wrapping Up
Squirrels will feed on bird eggs. Besides being a good source of protein, bird eggs will be available when food is scarce for squirrels. During good times, squirrels will not go looking for bird eggs since plant matter is in plenty.
Squirrels are pretty good when it comes to surviving. That is because they will feed on almost anything that will supplement their regular diet. Squirrels may prefer plant matter for food, but that will not limit them when scarce times come. A squirrel will eat bird eggs for it has to survive.
