Squirrel Removal in New York City
Eastern gray squirrels are a familiar sight in every NYC park, but they become a real problem when they move into attics, walls, soffits, and eaves. Squirrels chew constantly, and once inside they can gnaw through wiring, tear up insulation, and create new openings that let water and other animals in. The telltale sound is scurrying and scratching overhead in the early morning and late afternoon. NYC Pest Control Pros is a free referral service that connects homeowners with independent, licensed wildlife professionals who remove squirrels humanely and keep them out.
Effective squirrel control focuses on exclusion rather than simply trapping. Squirrels that are removed without sealing the building are quickly replaced by others from nearby trees. A licensed pro will find every entry point, install one-way exclusion devices that let squirrels leave but not return, check for young, and then permanently seal openings with chew-resistant materials. In New York, nuisance wildlife work for hire requires a license from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Call us and we will connect you with a local provider.
Why Squirrels Are a Problem in NYC
New York City's tree canopy, which lines streets and fills parks in every borough, supports large gray squirrel populations. Street trees often grow close to buildings, giving squirrels easy access to rooftops, gutters, and cornices. Brownstones, rowhouses, and detached homes with wooden soffits, older roof vents, and gaps where rooflines meet give squirrels plenty of places to chew in. Once one squirrel finds a way into an attic or roof space, others often follow, and attached homes can let them travel under shared rooflines.
Feeding also plays a role. Many New Yorkers feed squirrels and birds, and bird feeders in yards and on fire escapes keep squirrels close to homes. In fall, squirrels look for warm, dry spots to spend the winter, and females seek sheltered nesting sites in late winter and again in summer for their litters. In some parks and wooded neighborhoods, especially in the Bronx and on Staten Island, southern flying squirrels are also present and occasionally enter attics, where they are active at night.
Common Squirrels Found in New York
Eastern Gray Squirrel
The squirrel most New Yorkers know, gray with a pale belly and bushy tail, though black and brownish variants also appear. Active during the day, it nests in trees and attics, typically breeds twice a year, and causes the vast majority of squirrel problems in NYC homes.
Southern Flying Squirrel
A small, nocturnal squirrel with large dark eyes and a furry gliding membrane between its front and back legs. It lives in wooded areas and parks and may enter attics in groups, where its nighttime activity is often mistaken for mice or rats.
Eastern Chipmunk
A small ground squirrel with reddish-brown fur and bold stripes along its back and face. Common in outer-borough yards and parks, chipmunks burrow near foundations, patios, and garden walls and occasionally find their way into garages, basements, or wall voids.
Signs You Need Squirrel Removal
- Scratching, scampering, or rolling sounds in the attic or ceiling, mostly in the early morning and late afternoon.
- Chewed holes in soffits, fascia boards, roof vents, siding, or along the roofline, often with rough, gnawed edges.
- Squirrels repeatedly running along gutters, utility lines, or branches that lead directly to your roof or chimney.
- Leaves, twigs, and shredded insulation packed into attic corners, eaves, or wall cavities as nesting material.
- Chewed electrical wiring, damaged insulation, or stained ceiling spots caused by urine in the attic.
- Small, rounded, pellet-like droppings in the attic, near entry holes, or along the roofline.
- Nighttime noises in the attic in wooded areas, which may point to flying squirrels rather than gray squirrels.
Health & Property Risks
Squirrels in the home are primarily a property risk. They chew electrical wiring, a recognized cause of house fires, and damage insulation, ductwork, roof sheathing, and stored belongings. Openings they create can let in rain, causing leaks and mold, and invite other animals such as bats, birds, and raccoons. Their droppings and urine create odors and stains, and nests can harbor fleas and mites. Squirrels can bite when cornered, and a squirrel that dies inside a wall void can cause strong, lingering odors.