Vocal Squirrels!

[salukiwhippet]

The squirrels on the shoot have been very vocal this last week! Shouting (or the squirrelly equivalent!!!) at all sorts of things, including carrion crows, magpies (Not too surprising) A buzzard (it and the squirrel were in the same tree!) And even me! I think that there must be a lot of youngsters around and they're establishing new territories, and shouting at anything in their new patches! They're not going to last long if they keep shouting at buzzards though! (Or me!)
Any thoughts? James

[Ragged Naturalist]

Recently a squirrel would often be found on the side of my house, delighting in shouting at me on a regular basis.

I think it's got bored and moved on now though

[smartie]

They seem to chatter a lot whenever they get agitated about anything, often stamping their feet as well as twitching their tails. It doesn't take much to start them off - another squirrel on a favourite branch, a passing cat or human, not enough of the right kind of seed in the bird feeders, a greenfinch getting too close...

[Meles meles]

It can be a very a strange noise to hear for the first time, I have sat and tried to record the vocal sounds from one squirrel on my mp3. Unfortunately not a great attemp but you can distinguish the various sounds. One in particular i can only explain as a chipmunks laugh. (remembering the cartoon in my younger days) another which is more like a knocking noise coming from the depths of the throat, This seems to be more of a warning.

smartie - I think your right that they get so vocal when agitated and i think when theres young ones close/involved.

I once watched two squirrels close to each other on a branch, it appeared that they was threatening each other but in a strange way it sounded like a duet....