Gray squirrels thrive in cities. Urban development pushes out many of their natural predators like bobcats, coyotes and foxes—meanwhile, food remains plentiful!

In the spring and summer, squirrels enjoy feasting on flowers, seeds, leaf buds, berries, bugs and people’s leftovers.

Squirrels shift their diet to acorns for the fall and winter, using their constantly growing sharp incisor teeth to crack them open. Acorns pack a lot of energy and fat, making them a great source of food that many species, including squirrels, rely on.

These bushy-tailed critters need to maintain a steady supply of nutrients during the harsh winter months. That’s why acorns aren’t haphazardly buried and forgotten about. Squirrels have an elaborate strategy to decide how, when, and where to store their food, which depends on the species and quality of the acorn.

So if you see a squirrel today, pause to watch it go about its business. You might just see it foraging for food or even climbing down a tree with its feet that can turn a full 180 degrees around!