Newest arrivals on April 24th: three red squirrels. Wes was up feeding them at 3:15 am, and took some pictures. Red squirrels have boundless energy, and are a challenge to raise once they’re big enough to climb out of the nest.
A bunny that had been caught by a cat, and a dove also arrived the same day.
The American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) is a common sight in upstate New York. These little fellows are much smaller than the often seen gray squirrels, and share a similar territory range. They can be quite aggressive in competition with their larger cousins. If you see a gray and a red squirrel squabbling over your bird feeders, despite their much smaller size, the red squirrel will probably win.
They are primarily grain and seed eaters, but will eat other kinds of vegetation as well as the occasional bird’s egg. It’s reported that they’ve even been seen to raid the nests of snowshoe hares in their northern ranges.
New York Wildlife Rescue Center, Inc. 