Have you ever heard strange barking sounds while walking in the woods and wondered if they were coming from squirrels? Many people are surprised to learn that squirrels actually do bark and make other unusual vocalizations that sound similar to barking.
In this article, we’ll explore the reasons squirrels make these odd noises and discuss whether squirrels specifically direct barking sounds at deer.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: Squirrels can and do bark, but they usually don’t direct their vocalizations specifically at deer. Instead, most squirrel barking serves as an alarm call to warn other squirrels of potential threats.
Squirrels Have a Wide Range of Vocalizations
Chirps and Chuckles
Squirrels make a variety of vocal sounds to communicate, including chirps, chuckles, and chatter (1). Their chirps and chuckles serve purposes like declaring territory, signaling alarm or alerting others about a food source (2). A squirrel’s chirp can sound like a high-pitched bird call.
Baby squirrels even chirp or chuckle when playing or feeling content!
According to wildlife experts, the most common squirrel chuckle is a fast paced “kuk-kuk-kuk” sound (3). Squirrels chuckle to signal non-threatening interactions, like when they spot another squirrel approaching. Some describe it as sounding like they are giggling.
A 2017 study analyzed hundreds of pine squirrel chuckle recordings, finding chuckles contain complex information about the squirrel’s identity and intended message (4).
Growling or Barking
When feeling threatened, squirrels may produce growling or barking sounds much like a small dog (5). Barking sounds are typically lower-pitched, sounding guttural with a raspy quality. Growls can range from softer grumbling to louder noises, depending on the perceived threat level.
For example, a squirrel may softly growl to warn another it is getting too close. But when faced with an aggressive predator like a cat or stooping hawk, a squirrel may produce loud barks paired with tail flicking in an attempt to scare it off (6).
Squirrels also bark at humans who invade their territory. Their barks serve the vital purpose of signaling danger to other nearby squirrels as well.
Screeching
When highly alarmed, squirrels emit loud, piercing screeches or distress screams (7). These cacophonous squeals are often heard when a squirrel is captured by a predator or feels trapped without an escape route. Baby squirrels separated from their mothers may scream for attention as well.
A squirrel’s scream can sound eerily similar to a crying human baby. In fact, wildlife rehabilitators are sometimes misled by squirrel screams and rush outside to find an infant in distress, only to discover the screeching cries are coming from their local tree squirrel (8)!
Though jarring when heard up close, screeching indicates the squirrel is frightened and feels its life may be in immediate danger.
Reasons Squirrels Bark and Chatter
Warning Other Squirrels of Threats
Squirrels use barking and chattering sounds to warn other squirrels of potential threats. For example, if a squirrel spots a predator like a hawk, cat or snake, it will let out a rapid series of barks. This gets the attention of other squirrels and alerts them to take cover.
According to wildlife experts, squirrels have different alarm calls for ground predators versus aerial predators. They can convey a lot of information in their warning barks and chatters.
Defending Territories
Squirrels are very territorial animals. They each have their own nesting areas and foraging zones which they patrol and defend. When an intruding squirrel enters another squirrel’s zone, there is often a confrontation.
This involves squirrels rapidly chattering at each other with their tails twitching. It’s thought this aggressive display is meant to scare off invaders. The squirrels may also bark loudly as a show of dominance over their turf.
Research indicates that male squirrels are particularly protective of their territories. They mark areas with urine and scent glands to establish boundaries. So when other squirrels encroach, the resident male responds using barks and chatters to chase them out.
Communicating with Their Young
Mother squirrels use soft squeaks and chatterings to communicate with their babies. For example, moms have a specific call to gather the young when she returns to the nest. The babies recognize the sound and come running to nurse and cuddle up with mom.
Young squirrels also make squeaks and gentle chirping sounds when interacting with their siblings in the nest. And when the babies eventually start venturing out on their own, they use various chatters to keep in contact with mom.
It’s thought the different barks help squirrel families identify each other and find one another if separated.
| Around 25% of communication between squirrels is barking or chattering sounds |
| Squirrels can bark at rates up to 35 times per minute when alarmed |
| High pitched chatters indicate distress while low guttural sounds signal a relaxed state |
As seen, squirrels have quite an extensive vocal repertoire for interacting with other squirrels. Their barks, squeaks and chatters convey a variety of messages from warnings to territorial claims to basic family communications.
Understanding these vocalizations provides a fascinating glimpse into the social world of squirrels.
Do Squirrels Ever Bark Specifically at Deer?
Squirrels are well known for using barking and other vocalizations to communicate alarms about potential predators. However, they give alarm calls for many types of animals, not just deer specifically. The relationship between squirrels and deer tends to be relatively neutral.
Squirrels Give Alarm Calls for Many Animals
Tree squirrels like eastern gray squirrels use a wide variety of vocalizations to communicate with each other. Their alarm calls serve to warn other squirrels about possible threats in the area. According to research, squirrels make different alarm calls depending on the type of predator detected, such as a ground predator like a cat or a bird of prey like a hawk (reference).
In one study, eastern gray squirrels produced over 15 different alarm vocalizations for animals including domestic cats, red foxes, humans, northern goshawks, and more. Their alarm calls could even specify the color of some predators!
So squirrels don’t reserve barks just for deer – they use alarm calls flexibly for many species.
Squirrels and Deer Have a Neutral Relationship
Squirrels have complex communication abilities when it comes to predators. But research suggests they likely don’t consider deer to be a serious predatory threat. Deer are large herbivorous animals that primarily browse on tree leaves, twigs, fruits and nuts.
Squirrels tend to ignore deer or see them as non-threatening animals sharing their habitat.
In fact, squirrels and deer may even benefit each other. For example:
- Deer feeding shakes nut trees, causing more nuts to drop which squirrels can then collect.
- Squirrels bury nuts and forget some, allowing new trees to grow which deer later eat.
Additionally, squirrels and deer would alert each other to true predators in the area. A squirrel’s alarm call about a dangerous predator like a wolf, coyote or bobcat could serve to warn deer as well. Their relationship is more commensal or mutually beneficial than antagonistic.
| Potential predator | Squirrel response |
| Cat, fox, hawk | Alarm call |
| Deer | Ignore or coexist |
So while squirrels make all kinds of alarm calls, available research suggests they likely don’t specifically bark warnings about the presence of deer. Squirrels have harmonious relationships with deer in shared environments.
Other Squirrel Behaviors Related to Deer
Following Deer to Find Food
Squirrels are resourceful little creatures and have been observed using deer as a means to find food. Deer graze on a variety of plant life like buds, leaves, berries, and nuts. As they wander through the forest nibbling away, nuts and seeds will inevitably fall to the ground.
Savvy squirrels will purposefully follow behind the deer to clean up these leftovers. By scavenging in areas after deer have passed through, squirrels can efficiently find places where food may be abundant without expending as much energy searching aimlessly.
Researchers have documented squirrels exhibiting this clever food sourcing technique in several ecological studies. In one report published in the Journal of Mammalogy, researchers observed eastern gray squirrels trails within 16 feet of white-tailed deer paths a whopping 84% of the time.
The squirrels would let the deer do the work shaking loose acorns and nuts from trees, then come scurrying behind to pick up the spoils. Talk about working smarter, not harder!
Using Deer Trails
In addition to capitalizing on deer as nut foragers, squirrels will take advantage of the trails that deer create. As deer move through forests and thickets, their continued walking and foraging creates paths where there is less dense vegetation.
Squirrels have been observed incorporating these deer trails into their own travel routes. The pre-cleared trails allow squirrels to move through the landscape quicker with less impediment from thick brush or downed tree branches.
A 1974 study published in Journal of Mammalogy found that squirrels used deer trails 37% of the time as they traveled to and from food sources. This demonstrated how squirrels intentionally integrate the movement patterns of deer into their own habitat use strategy.
By sticking to deer trails, squirrels are able to conserve energy as they go about their nut hoarding activities. Why struggle through thickets when you can just dart along a nicely maintained deer highway!
Nesting in Deer Habitats
When selecting a place to build their leafy nests, squirrels may choose areas that overlap with prime deer habitat. Oak trees provide both acorns for squirrels and areas of thick canopy that make for good nesting sites.
Since deer also rely heavily on acorns from oak trees, squirrel nests can often be found in deer zones.
One analysis found that density of squirrel nests increased as density of white-tailed deer increased in certain habitats. The researchers theorized the squirrels were taking advantage of the bountiful acorn supply in areas frequented by deer.
By building their dreys in deer domains during breeding season, female squirrels can gain quick access to the nutritious acorns to support reproduction and nursing.
Conclusion
In summary, while squirrels do exhibit barking and other loud vocalizations, they don’t usually direct these sounds specifically toward deer. Squirrel calls are meant to signal danger to other squirrels rather than communicate with deer.
However, squirrels and deer do interact in nature in other ways, such as when squirrels follow deer to find food or use the same trails and habitats.
The next time you hear peculiar chattering, growling or barking in the forest, it’s most likely a squirrel sounding the alarm or defending its territory rather than scolding a nearby deer. While interspecies communication does occur in nature, squirrel vocalizations are primarily aimed at other squirrels rather than deer or other animals.
