American squirrel takes a foothold

RARELY has bird life in Ireland been receiving such publicity. Eagles, kites and hen harriers are all making headlines and attention could now be turning to the plight of songbirds which are facing a relatively new threat.

The American grey squirrel is having a devastating impact on Britain’s songbird population, according to a new study by the wildlife charity Songbird Survival. It now ranks alongside the cat as the top predator of farmland birds.

Looking deceptively cute and even cuddly, the same squirrel has established a firm foothold here since being introduced almost a century ago, and is now found in at least 23 counties.