Squirrels are highly adaptable and opportunistic feeders, thriving in environments from dense forests to urban parks. Their diet changes throughout the year based on seasonal availability, making them flexible foragers constantly seeking calorie-dense items. This natural inclination for energy-rich food sources often brings them into direct contact with human habitats. Understanding what they are naturally drawn to is key to coexisting with these busy rodents.
Squirrels’ Preferred Natural Foods
The core of a squirrel’s natural diet revolves around hard mast—nutrient-rich, encased fruits of forest trees. Acorns, hickory nuts, and walnuts are primary targets, representing high-fat and high-calorie stores essential for winter survival and caching behavior. Collecting and burying these hard-shelled foods is a defining characteristic of their autumn activity.
Beyond hard mast, they consume soft mast, including various berries, fleshy fruits, and tree seeds, such as those from pine cones. During spring and summer, their diet expands to include tree buds, flowers, and the soft tips of plants to meet reproductive energy needs. They also forage for fungi, like truffles and oyster mushrooms, and consume insects, eggs, and small vertebrates for protein, classifying them as opportunistic omnivores.
The high fat content in nuts dictates their preference, with pecans and walnuts especially favored for their healthy fat and protein balance. Squirrels will also gnaw on deer antlers and bones to obtain necessary calcium and minerals.
Common Sources of Human-Provided Attraction
Human-maintained food sources offer easy, concentrated caloric rewards that often lure squirrels away from natural foraging areas. Bird feeders are frequent attractants, stocked with seeds like sunflower and safflower, and cracked corn. Squirrels readily consume these, despite their lower nutritional value compared to nuts.
Unsecured outdoor waste is another significant source of attraction; squirrels scavenge through garbage cans and dumpster areas for food scraps. They are not deterred by pet food, often eating dog or cat kibble left accessible on patios or porches, which provides a reliable, calorie-dense meal. A backyard vegetable garden can also become a buffet, with squirrels targeting crops such as corn, squash, and strawberries.
Compost piles, especially those containing fruit and vegetable scraps, provide a constant supply of accessible food waste. Any sweet or fatty food left outdoors, including human leftovers and outdoor dining scraps, will attract them due to their opportunistic nature. The ease of obtaining these foods makes them irresistible targets.
Foods Squirrels Typically Ignore
While squirrels are generally unfussy, certain strong flavors and scents act as natural deterrents. The intense pungency of raw garlic and onions is unappealing, causing them to bypass food sources treated with these ingredients. Similarly, the strong aromatic properties of peppermint and citrus fruits, such as grapefruit and orange peels, are avoided, though they may consume the juicy pulp of citrus if thirsty.
Squirrels are also repelled by spicy compounds, particularly capsaicin found in cayenne pepper and chili peppers. This is a common tactic used by gardeners, as birds are largely unaffected by capsaicin, making it a selective deterrent for bird feeders. Additionally, certain ornamental flower bulbs, including allium and daffodils, contain compounds that squirrels find unpalatable.