Ever spot a chipmunk or a squirrel darting around your yard? You might wonder what exactly they’re after and if their diets overlap much. They’re both busy foragers, sure, but they don’t always chase down the same snacks. If you know what each one likes, you can decide whether to feed them or maybe just protect your garden a bit better.
Chipmunks munch on seeds, nuts, fruits, insects, and sometimes even small animals. Squirrels stick more to nuts, seeds, and other plant stuff. Chipmunks really aren’t picky—they’ll grab just about anything they can fit in those cheek pouches. Squirrels? They seem to love tree nuts and can act a bit choosy.
If you figure out what chipmunks and squirrels like to eat, watching them gets a lot more interesting. It also helps you manage their visits, whether you’re hoping to feed them or keep them away from your favorite plants.
What Do Chipmunks and Squirrels Eat?
You’ll probably notice chipmunks and squirrels eating a lot of the same things, but each has its own favorites and quirks. Their diets shift with the seasons and where they live. When you pay attention, you start to see what they really prefer and how they get by out there.
Core Diet Differences
Chipmunks eat both plants and small animals, so they’re omnivores. They go for seeds, nuts, fruits, grains, insects, and even the occasional frog or lizard. Most days, you’ll see them stuffing whatever they find into their cheeks to haul back home.
Squirrels mostly eat plants—nuts, seeds, fruits, and fungi. If food runs low, they’ll eat eggs, insects, or even small animals. Squirrels are bigger, so they eat more and stash food by burying it for later.
| Food Type | Chipmunks | Squirrels |
|---|---|---|
| Nuts & Seeds | Walnut, pecans, sunflower seeds | Various nuts like acorns |
| Fruits & Berries | Yes | Yes |
| Insects | Small insects & worms | Larger insects occasionally |
| Animal Matter | Small reptiles | Eggs, chicks, occasional meat |
Natural Food Sources in the Wild
In forests or backyards, chipmunks usually stick close to their burrows and grab nuts like walnuts and acorns. They also hunt for berries, grains, and insects on the ground. They don’t wander far—quick trips help them dodge predators.
Squirrels spend more time up in trees, searching for nuts and fruits. They’ll eat tree bark, fungi, and sometimes even raid bird nests for eggs. Living up high gives them access to more food options.
Both chipmunks and squirrels adapt quickly to cities. You might see them picking through leftovers or scraps, but nuts and seeds still make up most of their meals.
Seasonal and Regional Diet Changes
When fall rolls around, chipmunks start packing away food in their burrows for the winter. They go after nuts, seeds, and fruits that pack a lot of energy, trying to fatten up. In cold places, they eat more insects in summer and lean on stored food when it’s cold.
Squirrels do the same—they gather and bury nuts in the fall. Once spring and summer show up, they eat more fresh fruits, buds, and insects. In towns or cities, squirrels change their diet based on whatever people leave out or what’s growing in gardens.
Where they live matters, too. Eastern chipmunks eat slightly different things than Siberian chipmunks because of local food. Squirrels show the same variety; eastern gray squirrels and fox squirrels each adapt to whatever their environment offers.
If you want to dive deeper, check out the differences between chipmunks and squirrels.
Feeding Habits and Food Storage
Watch chipmunks and squirrels gather food, and you’ll see some clever strategies. Their habits really help them survive when food gets scarce.
Foraging Strategies
Chipmunks mostly search on the ground, close to their burrows. They hunt for nuts, seeds, berries, and sometimes insects. You might catch them sniffing under leaves or digging in dirt for fungi or roots.
Squirrels spend a lot of time in trees, climbing around for nuts like acorns and walnuts, plus fruits and buds. They don’t mind poking around bird feeders or even trash cans for snacks. Squirrels can adapt fast to human environments.
Both animals change how they forage depending on what’s around. In fall, they work extra hard to collect enough food for winter.
Food Caching and Scatter Hoarding
Both chipmunks and squirrels rely on storing food to make it through lean months. Chipmunks scatter hoard, hiding lots of little food stashes all over their territory. If a predator or another animal finds one, they’ve still got backups.
Squirrels scatter hoard too, but sometimes they dig bigger holes that are easier to spot. They bury nuts and seeds in different places and come back later. If you see squirrels digging in your yard or near trees, they’re probably checking on their food caches.
This food caching habit gives chipmunks and squirrels a fighting chance when winter hits and fresh food disappears.
Use of Cheek Pouches
Chipmunks have these amazing cheek pouches. They’re stretchy pockets inside their mouths, and honestly, it’s wild how much food they can stuff in there. Sometimes you’ll spot a chipmunk with its face all puffed out, racing around to grab nuts or seeds before heading back to its burrow.
Squirrels work differently. They don’t have cheek pouches at all. Instead, they carry food in their paws or just in their mouths, but it’s never that much at once. So, squirrels end up making more trips when they’re foraging.
Chipmunks rely on their cheek pouches to gather and stash food fast, especially if a predator shows up or the weather turns bad.
If you’re curious about what chipmunks like to eat, you can check out what chipmunks eat.
