Bluebird vs. Squirrel

I’ve been feeding a squirrel shelled peanuts outside my front window. Not on purpose at first, but once you start, you’re kind of in it.

And I’ve noticed something.

This little guy is stealthy.

Before making a move, he scans the whole front yard, making sure no other squirrels—or anything else with a taste for peanuts—is watching. Once he’s satisfied the coast is clear, he scurries up to the window to check if I’ve put any out.

If the nuts aren’t there yet, he pauses.

Then, and I swear I’m not imagining this, he looks straight at me through the window like, “Hurry, man! We’re clear.”

Here is some actual photo evidence: 

This is how squirrels operate. They’re strategic, cautious, always thinking ahead—because they have to. They don’t just eat what’s in front of them. They hoard. They bury food. They think about the long game.

Then, there’s the bluebirds.

Bluebirds don’t sneak around. They don’t bury food for later. They show up, see what’s available, and take what’s there. They’re foragers, not hoarders.

And in the winter months, when bugs are scarce, they’re more willing to go for something like a peanut—because it’s there. No paranoia. No hiding. No long-term planning. Just quick, opportunistic action.

Now, I don’t know if my squirrel sees bluebirds as competition, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

Even if the bluebirds aren’t trying to steal from him directly, they are taking from the same supply. And since the squirrel is thinking months ahead, while the bluebird is just thinking about lunch, you can see the fundamental difference in how they operate.

And, of course, this got me thinking about people.

The Squirrel and the Bluebird in Business and Life

Some people are squirrels. They stockpile knowledge. They hesitate to act because they’re worried about competitors, about getting it just right, about timing the market. They think about building for the long haul, making sure they never go hungry.

Others are bluebirds. They spot an opportunity and take it. No hesitation, no overthinking. They don’t worry about long-term sustainability or whether they’re sitting on a secret resource. They just grab what’s available and move on.

Neither is wrong. Both are valid survival strategies.

But the real magic? Knowing when to be which.

Because the truth is, sometimes you need to think ahead, play it safe, and build something lasting. 

And sometimes you need to dive in, grab what’s in front of you, and trust you’ll find more tomorrow.

If you’re only a squirrel, you might overthink and miss the moment.
If you’re only a bluebird, you might never build anything stable enough to last.

So, the real question is:

Which one are you right now?

And is that the right instinct for the moment you’re in?