Photo by Chris Bosak
An Eastern Chipmunk eats from a platform bird feeder in Danbury, Conn., summer 2016.

People don’t feel the same way about chipmunks as they do gray squirrels.

Keeping squirrels away from birdfeeders is a multi-million dollar industry. People can’t stand the sight of a squirrel at their birdfeeder. If they don’t have a squirrel-proof feeder (half of which don’t work anyway) they bang on a window, yell at the offensive little rodent, and toss things at them to make them scram. (Of course, I’m talking in general here. Some people don’t mind squirrels and some people actually like them.)

But chipmunks. Everyone loves chipmunks. They are cute, handsomely colored and decorated, and fun to watch. And, as far as I can tell, eat just as much of my birdseed as the squirrels do. They are Continue reading →