Eavesdropping Squirrels

Gray Squirrel. Charles J. Sharp, via Wikimedia Commons. Distributed under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Eastern gray squirrels listen in to birds’ conversations for cues about nearby predator risk, according to a new study from Oberlin College. Researchers found that hearing casual bird chatter after a predator call signals safety to squirrels.

Read more on my Animal Minds blog: Squirrels Eavesdrop on Bird Chatter as Sign of Safety.