Details
Sciurus carolinensis
A tree squirrel common in eastern North American forests and city parks, with gray fur, a bushy tail, and a habit of caching nuts.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Lives in deciduous and mixed woods, parks, gardens, and street trees, especially where mature oaks and nut trees are common.
The back is gray to brownish and the belly pale. A long bushy tail and small ears give it a rounded winter look.
Active by day, it moves between trees and the ground, burying individual nuts in scatter hoards. Alarm calls and tail flicks warn nearby squirrels.
Acorns, walnuts, seeds, buds, flowers, and fungi are eaten, with eggs and insects taken occasionally.
Young are raised in tree cavities or leafy nests. One or two litters may be born each year, and the mother provides all care.
Globally low-risk; introduced populations can compete with native squirrels and damage trees by stripping bark.
