Tree buds are a preferred food in late winter and early spring. Squirrels often hoard nuts for later use. Acorns, hickory nuts, walnuts, and osage orange fruits are favorite fall foods. Typically, they feed on mast (wild tree fruits and nuts) in fall and early winter. They both eat a great variety of native foods. Food Habitsįox and gray squirrels have similar food habits. Flying squirrels are the only squirrels that are active at night.
The northern flying squirrel is found in the northern and central counties of the state, whereas the southern flying squirrel can be found throughout the state. The southern lying squirrel will share mixed coniferous and deciduous forests with the northern flying squirrel, but it prefers mature deciduous forests with abundant nut-producing trees. The young may stay with the mother through the winter when the squirrels commonly group together. Flying squirrels can have two litters of two to four young each year.
#BROWN SQUIRREL SKIN#
They use this skin as a parachute when gliding from tree to tree. The most distinctive characteristics of flying squirrels are the broad webs of skin connecting the fore and hind legs at the wrists, and the distinctly flattened tail. It can be difficult to distinguish between the two species of flying squirrels that occur in Pennsylvania both may be various shades of gray or brown above and lighter below. They are between 8 and 10 inches in length and weigh between 1.3 and 4 ounces. Flying squirrelsįlying squirrels are smaller than other tree squirrels. One to seven young are born in each of the two litters. The breeding season is February through September. Red squirrels are solitary except during copulation. They do not confine themselves to trees and are commonly found on the ground. Red squirrels prefer coniferous forests, but they also can be found in mixed conifer and hardwood forests or sometimes in hardwood habitats. They are smaller than both the gray and the fox squirrel, weighing 4 to 8 ounces, and are between 9 and 13 inches in length. The amount of red in their fur varies from rust colored in winter to grayish red in summer. They have small ear tufts in the winter and often have a black stripe separating the dark upper color from the light belly. The red squirrel has a red-brown upper body and white underparts. Fox squirrels prefer oak-hickory habitat over much of their range. Their breeding activities are similar to those of gray squirrels. They are larger than gray squirrels, weighing 1.9 to 2.2 pounds, but they have the same body shape. Fox squirrel bellies are tan compared to the white bellies of gray squirrels. Some have a distinct reddish cast to their brownish-gray coat. Urban backyards also have become prime habitat for gray squirrels.įox squirrels are rare in Pennsylvania. Gray squirrels can be found in any area that supplies sufficient amounts of nuts and seeds to sustain the population. The diet of the gray squirrel dictates its habitat. The young are weaned after they are two months old. They usually have two litters of one to eight pups. When not breeding, the gray squirrel is solitary. During the breeding season, noisy mating chases take place when one or more males pursue a female through the trees. Gray squirrels breed in mid-December or early January and again in June. They weigh between 15 and 24 ounces and are 16 to 24 inches in length. Sometimes several color variations occur in a single population. The color of Eastern gray squirrels varies greatly, from all black to silver gray with a white belly. During fall, squirrels may travel 50 miles or more in search of better habitat. Squirrels often seek mast-bearing (nuts and other hard fruits) forests in fall and favor tender buds of elms and maples in the spring. Home range size can vary from 1 to 100 acres depending on the season and the availability of food. Although squirrels prefer to nest in cavities, they often construct leaf nests by making a stick frame that is then filled with dry leaves and lined with leaves, strips of bark, corn husks, or other materials. General BiologyĪll five squirrel species nest in tree cavities, human-made squirrel boxes, or in leaf nests. Once inside, they can damage walls, insulation, and electrical wires.
Squirrels sometimes find their way into buildings through loose siding or ventilation screens. The eastern gray and the flying squirrels are usually the culprits if squirrel damage has occurred. Tree squirrels include the fox squirrel ( Sciurus niger), the eastern gray squirrel ( Sciurus carolinensis), the red squirrel ( Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), the southern flying squirrel ( Glaucomys volans), and the northern flying squirrel ( Glaucomys sabrinus). This fact sheet covers squirrel biology, food habits, damage caused by squirrels, and damage control methods.
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