Study On Squirrel Behaviors; Hanging vs. Stationary Platform Feeders (Results Inconclusive)

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1 Study On Squirrel Behaviors; Hanging vs. Stationary Platform Feeders (Results Inconclusive) By Arden Carleton Center For Teaching and Learning Glenn Powers 3/30/18

2 Abstract The essential question I am researching is whether squirrels prefer swinging or stationary platform feeders. By conducting the following experiment, I will be able to further the research on squirrel behaviors. For this experiment, I used two 2ft by 2ft platform feeders with rails, 20ft of heavy duty string, four eye hole screws, and feed (in many amounts and types). The string and eye-hole screws were used to hang a platform feeder, and the other feeder was set on the ground 10ft away. A few adjustments were made concerning the location of the feeders and type and amount of seed on them. Due to this, the early data points showed the seed being completely eaten from both feeders. What was interesting about the first accurate data points I did collect was that 5.5% more seed was eaten from the stationary feeder than the hanging, and in the last trial 34.7% more seed was eaten from the hanging feeder than the stationary one. As a result of the little data collected, my findings were inconclusive. Introduction The essential question I am researching is whether squirrels prefer swinging or stationary platform feeders. By conducting an experiment where the different types of feeders are the variables and the other factors are consistent or controls, and I can collect data to support my findings. Squirrel feeders are often used to deter squirrels from bird feeders, as opposed to just feeding them. That way the squirrels are eating the less expensive feed (peanuts, corn, sunflower seeds, e.c.t.), rather than the more costly birdseed. Some squirrel feeders are designed not only for the above reasons, but also for our amusement, by making the process difficult for the squirrels. The study I m conducting will reveal some of the behaviors of squirrels, but will also have commercial applications, as the more effective squirrel feeder can be mass produced, and be of better service to the customers. Not many studies have been conducted on the topic of squirrel feeders, as they are not as commonly used as bird feeders. My hypothesis is that the squirrels will prefer the stationary feeders over the swinging feeders because it takes less energy to access. This essential question then raises another, less apparent question, do squirrels consider the amount of energy it takes to get to different food sources? By asking this question, the direction changes from very general to a more behavioral point of view. By conducting the following experiment, I will be able to further the research of the behavior patterns of squirrels.

3 Methods For this experiment, I am using two 2ft by 2ft wooden platforms with rails, four eye hole screws, 20ft of heavy-duty string, and feed (details of type and amount in process) to reset the feeders each time. To begin, I screwed the four eye-hole screws into the four corners of one of the feeders. Then I cut two 6ft pieces from the 20ft of heavy-duty line, and tied them to the eye holes diagonally across the feeder, so they cross in the center. In the location of the experiment, I tied the remaining line to the point where the lines on the feeder cross (keeping it balanced). To hang it, I threw the line over a low branch and adjusted the height so it hung 5-6in above the ground (making sure it is far enough from the tree so that it can swing freely). I placed the other feeder on the ground about 10ft from the hanging feeder. In conducting my experiment, I had a few problems with the amounts of seed and location. Originally, I had my experiment deep in the woods and was using 300 grams of black oil sunflower seeds, but after the first trial, all the seed was gone. I then increased the amount of seed to 600grams, but still had the same result. I moved my experiment to the edge of the woods to keep it away from the heavily populated area within, and changed the type of feed to suet (311grams). This set up worked for one trial, but the second time I set it out, the fresh suet cakes were gone after one day. My final move was to the front yard of the school, beneath the oak tree, where I switched back to black oil sunflowers seeds (900grams). The location was perfect, as the feeders got just enough attention for me to get accurate data, and the only other modification I had to make was to accommodate the weather. Before a particularly windy day, I drilled a screw connected to a piece of heavy duty string into the bottom of the hanging platform, which I then connected to a stake in the ground beneath it. This allowed the feeder to swing, but not as much as to allow the seed to be blown off. After this trial and error process, I finally was able to collect a couple pieces of data for my experiment

4 Results I was only able to collect two data points that were comparable, but here is a table of all the data points over the course of my experiment: Day Set Out- Day Taken In Percent of Seed Eaten from Hanging Feeder Percent of Seed Eaten from Stationary Feeder % 100% -2.9% 100% 100% 5% 64.5% 100% 100% 4.1% 100% 100% 10.5% 29.8% When looking at the table, you can see that in the first two tests, all the seed was eaten because the platforms were deep in the woods. In the third data collection, I was using suet, and the hanging feeder s feed actually gained weight. I believe this was because it rained over the course of time that the platform was out, and the suet cake absorbed some of the water, which in turn made the feed heavier. Afterwards, I continued to have trouble with the squirrels eating all of the feed, but once I moved locations a final time I collected two data points. What was interesting about the data points was that in my first accurate data collection, 5.5% more seed was eaten from the stationary feeder than the hanging feeder, and in the second, 34.7% more seed was eaten from the hanging feeder than the stationary one. To represent this in a different form, I made a scatter plot of the amount of seed that was eaten from each feeder.

5 Conclusion The results from my experiment were inconclusive as the data frequently portrayed that the seed was completely eaten or affected by weather, which gave me very little accurate data to work with. If I was to redo this experiment, I would choose a location where the platforms would get enough attention to receive data, but not to the point where all the seed was being eaten. I would also use the 900grams of seed throughout as it seemed to be lasting well through the course of time the platform was set out for. The final alteration I would make, which I was unable to make, due to time constraints, would be to carry out the experiment in late spring, summer, or fall because the snow covers the feeders this time of year, making the data unobtainable. From my experience, with these modifications, the experiment would run smooth and efficiently, collecting enough data to support a claim.