Winter
is usually a time of plenty, providing there has been a good autumn
nut crop, so squirrels have no need to hibernate. Summer is often harder
and is the best time of year to put out food. Squirrels diet varies
depending on the season and what is available.
By
far their favorite food would be nuts, followed by sunflower seeds.
Their most important natural food is tree seeds such as pine nuts, and
acorns. In addition, they enjoy a wide variety of other seeds, nuts,
dried corn, fruits, pine cones, almonds, English and black walnuts,
oranges, avocados, apples, apricots, and a variety of other plants.
They
do not normally eat meat. A last resort, if faced with hunger, they
have been known to eat bird eggs, snakes and insects. When natural food
is scarce, they will eat anything they can find.
It
is fun and very enlightening to keep a journal of all the different
kinds of foods your visiting squirrels eat.
