Tree squirrels can cause a couple types of tree damage. Most commonly they clip the tips of branches. The length of severed branches is often 2 to 3 feet though they can be longer or shorter. When squirrels snip off a branch, they cut it at about a 45-degree angle and the cut is rather tattered. This is a nuisance type of damage and normally does not hurt the health of the tree.
More serious damage is caused when squirrels strip the bark off of limbs or rarely, the trunk. Wounds can be quite large and the squirrel can effectively girdle the branch by removing all the bark completely around the circumference. Branches girdled in this way will die and the tree may be ruined if those branches are major.
Why squirrels do this is still a bit of a mystery. Some people think it is simply a means to sharpen their teeth or that they are seeking nesting material or water. Other people think that there are certain squirrels that are high-strung and cause this damage out of nervous energy.
If the damage is limited to snipping the ends off of branches, it is probably best to ignore the activity as the tree suffers little harm.
But if real damage is occurring due to extensive bark removal, try feeding and watering them. If that doesn’t work, control may be necessary. Fox and gray squirrels are game animals and can be hunted in season where it is legal and safe to do so. They can also be trapped and moved away from the area they are causing damage. For more information on control, see http://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/L863.pdf. (Ward Upham)
I was sitting in my backyard and I heard this noise up in the tree. I turned around and looked and it was a squirrel eating the bark off the tree or just stripping the bark. I was curious so I looked it up and I guess there’s no reason for that. But that you make a lot of noise LOL