Red squirrels in Cairngorms National Park, Highlands, Scotland

Red squirrels in Cairngorms National Park, Highlands, Scotland

© Scotland: The Big Picture/Minden Picture

Small but prodigious eaters. Eurasian red squirrels

Today, we're featuring two small but prodigious eaters, a pair of Eurasian red squirrels. These cheerful omnivores dine on the rich menu of available offerings in the forests of the U.K., primarily Scotland, where our friends today were photographed noshing.

Red squirrels eat nuts, fruit, flowers, bulbs, birds' eggs, insects, and more. They'll feast on deer antlers for a calcium boost, too. But their favourite dish? Seeds of conifer trees. It's estimated that one squirrel consumes seeds from about 20,000 cones each year. That's a lot for a creature who weighs in at just over half a pound.

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