interesting behavior

Hi-I joined this forum specifically just to ask a single question. I have a red squirrel living on my farm. I enjoy his/her antics immensely. A few minutes ago I watched as she scurried along a fence top with something in her mouth. Perhaps an inch, or so, long and oblong in shape. Brown in color I think. Not more than 2 feet in front of her a female blue jay ? hopped haltingly. Periodically pausing. The squirrel hopped almost in unison with her. They would both pause for a moment and then carry on. It almost looked as if the squirrel was chasing the bird. But tentatively. It was weird. If the squirrel had stolen something from the bird their positions would have been reversed. I couldn't understand what was going on.

Once they reached a tree I couldn't see what happened. I think that I saw the squirrel scrambling amongst the branches but I lost sight of the bird. Maybe this is a silly post but I had never seen anything like it and I've been around for what feels like centuries. Any thoughts?
Thanks

My take is that the squirrel just wanted to get to the tree with his prize. Since he was using the fence as a road, he had to force the bird to "move along" by bumping him down it so to speak. The jay was probably "interested" in what mr squirrel had which is why he allowed himself to be bumped along and didn't just fly off.

Squirrels will sometimes eat baby birds so that would explain the agitated bird. But more likely, the little Red found something tasty and the bird was trying to distract the red into dropping the treat so the bird could grab it. I see this behavior a lot in my yard, birds buzzing squirrels when the squirrel has a treat in it's mouth.

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Originally Posted by TubeDriver

Squirrels will sometimes eat baby birds so that would explain the agitated bird. But more likely, the little Red found something tasty and the bird was trying to distract the red into dropping the treat so the bird could grab it. I see this behavior a lot in my yard, birds buzzing squirrels when the squirrel has a treat in it's mouth.

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Wow didn't know either of those facts, interesting.
Along those lines, do Magpies go after younger adult squirrels? I saw a few seeming to chase one with lots of signalling in a predatory way but didn't think they'd go after something so large.

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Originally Posted by odeek9

Maybe this is a silly post

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I'm glad you posted it! I watch squirrel behavior all the time and have tons of questions in my mind....I just haven't YET posted any of them. Thanks for being curious. It's a good thing! :Love_Icon

I have no ideas on this one. But I tend to agree with the road concept....

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Originally Posted by TubeDriver

Squirrels will sometimes eat baby birds so that would explain the agitated bird. But more likely, the little Red found something tasty and the bird was trying to distract the red into dropping the treat so the bird could grab it. I see this behavior a lot in my yard, birds buzzing squirrels when the squirrel has a treat in it's mouth.

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That's what I wanted to know. Thanks for your courtesy in answering my question

They might be driving the squirrel away but should not be a real threat to a healthy, adult grey squirrel.

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Originally Posted by sundoesshine

Wow didn't know either of those facts, interesting.
Along those lines, do Magpies go after younger adult squirrels? I saw a few seeming to chase one with lots of signalling in a predatory way but didn't think they'd go after something so large.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by sundoesshine

Along those lines, do Magpies go after younger adult squirrels? I saw a few seeming to chase one with lots of signalling in a predatory way but didn't think they'd go after something so large.

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Maybe Magpies thought the squirrel was getting too close to a nest with baby magpies. All of these creatures can be quite territorial especially if there are babies around.