Squirrels are quite clever at figuring out how to get past obstacles to get to food, as I have found trying to keep them off my bird feeder. They will keep trying different attacks until something works.
I didn't really mind feeding the squirrels, but they were cleaning out my feeder 4 times a day, where for the birds, a filling would last 4 days. At one point, before they started disappearing, I looked out and there were eleven of them waiting in line to eat bird seed.
They were very patient waiting to take their turn to steal my seed. I never saw them fussing or fighting.
Yep. Just about the entire pea-volume of their brains is devoted to that. I just feed them. I don't bother with a bird feeder. We just throw a big cupful of mixed seeds, nuts, and dried fruit out in the driveway every morning, and usually a second batch in the evening in the winter, when nature isn't providing any food in my area. The birds and squirrels all eat together. They're all hanging out in the trees watching for when the food is served, and they all go at it right away. And we keep two crocks by the back door, one with peanuts and the other with acorns -- all the humans are trained to grab a couple if they're heading out and see squirrels hanging around -- gotta pay the squirrel toll. Warmed my heart when a 3-legged squirrel with gashes/scars all over his body showed up early this winter, and actually made it through the winter with the help of our little banquet service.