Squirrels at the Feeder

Learn About Chipmunks, Bats, Squirrels and Birds!

How Big Are Bats: The Smallest and Largest In The World

By

Bats come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them are barely even perceptible as they dart here and there, using the cover of night to add stealth to their nocturnal activities. You may think that all bats are about the size of a small bird, but the real sizes of some of the world’s bats might surprise you.

So, if you have ever wondered, “How Big Are Bats?” then here is the answer:

The most common bats seen in the United States have a length of 2-3 inches when measured from nose to tail, weigh about 10 grams and have a wingspan of approximately 10 inches.  The smallest bat in the world, the Kitti’s Hog Nosed, only weighs 2 grams while the largest bat in the world, the Giant Golden Crowned Flying Fox, weighs in at 1,300 grams.

Let’s take a look at some of these species in more detail.

How Big Are Bats

[Read more…]

What Animals Eat Chipmunks? Natural Predators [Racoons, Owls]

By

Chipmunks are adorable little animals and I can sit and watch them scamper for hours on end.  Of course, humans are not the only species that enjoys the sight of chipmunks.  There are many species of animals that look at chipmunks as tasty treats and a great meal.  Chipmunks play several vital roles in the ecosystem and serving as a food source for other animals is one of them.

Have you ever wondered what animals eat chipmunks?

Chipmunks are eaten by predatory mammals (foxes, wolves, coyotes), aerial predators (hawks, owls) and some species are actively hunted by snakes. Chipmunks have developed a communication system that helps them warn each other about the presence of a predator and whether the treat is on the ground or in the air.

Let’s look at each class of predator in more detail.

[Read more…]

What Do Chipmunks Eat? What Food Do They Like?

By

Chipmunks are some of the cutest animals around as long as you are not trying to keep them out of your garden! I have fun feeding the little guys and seeing how far they can stretch out those adorable cheeks.

Chipmunks will eat a wide variety of foods but they have their favorites and one of them is pretty strange!  There are also a few foods that they tend to avoid as well as some foods that you should never feed them.

What Do Chipmunks Eat

[Read more…]

Chipmunks vs Squirrels: Size, Stripes and Ears!

By

Have you ever been confused between a chipmunk and a squirrel? I know I have. This is especially in the case of certain types of ground squirrels that have a stripes that are similar to chipmunks. However, there are some notable differences between ground squirrels and chipmunks.

Let’s take a look at what these are:

Ground Squirrel vs Chipmunk

[Read more…]

What To Feed A Baby Chipmunk: A Complete Care Guide

By

Feeding a baby chipmunk, especially a newborn, is a delicate, time consuming and complicated job.  In fact, caring for a newborn requires much more than simply feeding it and actually requires you to act like a Mother chipmunk.  You are going to need to keep the animal warm and calm, help it poop and monitor its stool to make sure that you are not overfeeding.

This article will show you everything you need to know to take care of a baby chipmunk.

What to Feed a baby chipmunk

[Read more…]

Do Squirrels Migrate Or Stay In One Place?

By

Certain times in history saw mass migrations of squirrels, such as in the 1800s, when they swam the Hudson River between Waterford and Saratoga en masse, with many drowning during the journey, and others dying of exhaustion shortly after.

Since then, other migrations have perplexed naturalists who have raised the question: do squirrels migrate often, or do they stay in the same place? Are these migrations commonplace, or are they due to extreme circumstances?

Box with Squirrel

[Read more…]

Where Do Squirrels Hide Their Nuts

By

I have a blast watching the antics of the squirrels in my yard.  I keep my squirrel feeders filled with peanuts and enjoy seeing them eat a few at the feeder and then grab one to stash for later.

For a long time I was feeding raw peanuts but ended up switching over to roasted and unsalted because the squirrels kept burying peanuts in my flower pots and the dang things would spout and turn into peanut plants!

After watching theses critters cache food in my flowerpots and garden beds it made me wonder about squirrels in the wild.  Specifically I was wondering , “Where do squirrels hide their nuts?”  It turns out that there are several answers to the question depending upon the type of squirrel.

[Read more…]

Can Squirrels Be Trained? Tips From Two Famous Examples!

By

Funny stories about squirrels are always popping up in the news and one of the more recent ones that caught my attention was about a man in Alabama that police claimed had trained a squirrel to attack people. The man in question denied that the squirrel was trained to attack but was simply his pet that sometimes got aggressive around strangers.  That story got me wondering about an important question, “Can squirrels be trained?”

The answer is, “Yes, squirrels can be taught to do all sorts of tricks!”  Squirrels are crazy smart rodents that are tenacious in their pursuit of tasty treats.  This combination makes squirrels great animals to teach how to do tricks.  Of course, how long it takes to train them depends upon the individual animal and the complexity of what you want them to do.

Let’s look at some of the more famous examples of trained squirrels so you can get an idea of what it takes to teach them things as well as what they are capable of learning. [Read more…]

Why Do Woodpeckers Peck On Metal? Just Be Glad It Is Not Your Windows!!!

By

The aptly named woodpecker is a fascinating bird—this animal is both resourceful and entertaining, giving birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts an easy, audible identifier: pecking!  Listening to woodpeckers tapping on trees is a lot of fun but hearing them beat their heads against metal chimney caps, metal lamp posts or even satellite receiver dishes can seem pretty strange!

If you are wondering why woodpeckers peck on metal then you are not alone as it is a very common question!  In this article, we’ll be exploring the four main reasons that woodpeckers peck and identify the two reasons why woodpeckers can often be found pecking on metal surfaces.

Why Do Woodpeckers Peck Metal

For the TL/DR crowd: Woodpeckers peck on metal because they want to be as loud as possible!

[Read more…]

Best Bat Houses For Sale And Where To Install

By

Putting up a bat house is a great way to help control insects while helping to conserve the bats in your area. There are a lot of bat houses for sale but they are some extreme differences between them.

This article will walk you through:

  • The type of bat house you should absolutely NOT purchase
  • What you should look for in a bat house
  • An overview of some providers of BCI certified bat houses
  • Where to install a bat house

Let’s get started!

Big Bat House

[Read more…]

DMCA.com Protection Status Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites Privacy Policy