Red Squirrels Harvesting Spruce Cones
Red Squirrels Harvesting Spruce Cones. 19 September 2021, 8am, Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Area near Ithaca, New York. Recorded by Lang Elliott. Image AI-gen.
Note: The recording featured here is a "3D binaural soundscape". Please wear headphones for a profound listening experience that will make you think you're actually out there, immersed in the natural world!
One early autumn day, I visit a Norway Spruce stand and quickly discover the trees are alive with Red Squirrel activity. The squirrels are busy cutting cones from limbs high in the canopy and then dropping them to the ground. As cones fall, they hit multiple limbs, producing a series of snapping or whacking sounds before landing on the ground with a hollow, resonant thud.
At times, squirrels give harsh chatters, their territorial call. And at one point, I hear a long string of high chip notes, probably signifying alarm, but it is unclear what creature might be causing it. I am captivated by this unique soundscape, a superb audio expression of an important stage in the squirrel’s annual cycle.
More Information
Red Squirrels do not hibernate and are attracted to Norway Spruce because this introduced species produces large cones containing robust seeds that provide an excellent source of nutrition during the winter months.
After dropping a number of cones to the ground, a squirrel will transport them to its “midden,” which is a pile of hundreds (sometimes thousands) of cones often placed near a large tree trunk where there are hollowed-out areas among the roots.
In winter, a squirrel digs into its midden to retrieve a cone and then hauls it to the top of the mound for a meal. There it snips off the cone’s scales to release the seeds, leaving the central spine behind.
I really love the acoustics of this recording. The sound-stage is wide, with cones falling all around at a fairly steady pace. And I am surprised and thrilled at the highly resonant plops and snaps, which add an element of surprise, especially when a cone drops close to the microphone. I've recorded red squirrels dropping cones at several other locations, but this one is by far the best of the bunch.
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