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Mammal. Solitary animals, red squirrels scold intruders in their territory. They growl, screech, chirp, rattle, and buzz. Active during the day, they spend the warmer months preparing for winter by finding and hiding food. They do not hibernate, but if the weather is very cold, a squirrel will stay in his nest until it is warmer. A red squirrel usually has several nests in tree hollows or underground tunnels, and any number of food caches. Each cache might hold two hundred pine cones. Using their keen sense of smell, red squirrels can easily locate stored food even under a meter (3 ft) of snow! Adults weigh about .2 -.34 kg (7-12 oz). |
| Scientific
Name |
Lifespan |
| Tamiasciurus hudsonicus |
7 years |
| Diet |
| Omnivore. Fruit, nuts, seeds, buds, fungi, bark, pinecones, insects, eggs, young birds, mice, other small animals, and sometimes shed antlers. They eat just about anything! |
| Predators and Threats |
| Mostly marten, owls, and hawks. In populated areas, house cats are a threat, too |
| Habitat |
| Forest dwellers, they can be found in deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests in much of Canada and northern parts of the United States. |
