Learn About Chipmunks, Bats, Squirrels and Birds!
When I first started writing these squirrel articles I kept getting confused when I was reading about red squirrels. I was seeing contradictory information about these things and was having a hard time understanding why some people are highly passionate about them.
And then I figured it out.
It turns out that there are three different types of squirrels that are commonly referred to as “Red Squirrels” and there are significant differences between them. [Read more…]
If your yard is often visited by squirrels, then you may have encountered these furballs quite a bit. But have you ever wondered which type of squirrel you’re playing host to? This may come as a surprise to you, but there are 269 species of squirrels in the world!
Of course, if you try and learn about each type, then it can become confusing really quickly. Some basic differences can help narrow things down though. For instance, if your squirrel appears to live in trees, then these are tree squirrels. If they spend their time on the ground instead, then you have a ground squirrel for company.
When people are trying to learn about squirrels they often get confused by all of the different names. A squirrel will often have multiple common names and those names will often overlap with the common names of other species of squirrels. For example, in the US there are three distinct species of tree squirrels that are called “Gray Squirrels” (Eastern, Western and Arizona).
Another point of confusion is that the squirrel family encompasses many more creatures than just the common tree squirrels that we see in our backyards. It turns out that creatures as diverse as chipmunks and groundhogs are also technically considered to be squirrels!
After you sort through all of the confusion and add up all of the different types of squirrels in the world you will find that there are 289 different species!
Squirrels have an admirable level of resistance against cold weather and some species survive in sub-degree weather. But how do they do this? How do their bodies respond as the temperature drops? Do they rely on layers of fat like most other mammals for warmth or are there other ways that allow them to survive?
As per the usual, my curiosity got the better of me and I ended up reading about how do squirrels survive in winter. Here’s what I found:
My wife and I recently took a trip to Las Vegas to celebrate a friend’s 50th birthday. Vegas was a hoot but we also took some time to skip out of town and do a little hiking in some nearby state parks. My wife had a great time hiking the trails…I had a great time looking for squirrels!
My yard is full of Eastern grey squirrels, so when I heard movement and scratching in the attic late one night, my first thought was – could it be a squirrel? I mean as interesting as I find them, I don’t want these guys living in my house! So anyway, long story short, it wasn’t a squirrel that I heard. It was rats.
That really sucked but is another story.
That whole adventure got me wondering about what squirrels do in the evening. The big question of course was, “Are squirrels nocturnal?” I did a little research and this is what I learned.
Jumping and climbing are the two most commonly associated behaviors with a squirrel. They are quick creatures that will scurry away as soon as you try to approach them. I once saw a squirrel jump at least 4 feet from the ground.
Since I’m not exactly the most athletic person around, the effortless acrobatics from that squirrel definitely left quite an impression on me. I decided to find out a little more about a squirrel’s jumping ability and here’s what I found:
The Eastern gray squirrel, the most common squirrel in the United States, can jump four feet in the vertical direction. That’s basically the height of an average 7-year-old child. When jumping horizontally, squirrels can cover a distance of 9 feet. The incredible jumping ability of a squirrel is enabled by over sized back legs, double jointed ankles and sharp claws.
Whether you think of squirrels as cute fur balls that chase each other across treetops or pests that occasionally invade your attic and chew their way through everything, squirrels are very interesting creatures. My personal fascination with squirrels is old news of course. So when I was reading about how animals see differently from humans, the first question that popped into my head was whether squirrels have good eyesight? Here’s what I found:
Yes, squirrels have excellent vision in the daylight. In fact, compared to other rodents, they fare extremely well in the vision department. Squirrels have great focal eyesight and their peripheral vision is equally sharp. This means that squirrels can see what is next to them or above them without having to move their heads. This helps a squirrel stay alert to changes in its environment, making it easier to detect predators. Squirrels have a hard time seeing in dark, night time conditions.
Figuring out why squirrels act like they do can be a fun challenge. Sometimes they act loving and playful with each other but other times they are aggressive and chase other squirrels away. So what gives with these critters? Are squirrels territorial or do they just like some squirrels more than others? I did a little research and was surprised by all of the information that I found. Here is what I learned:
The common tree squirrels (Grey and Fox) are not territorial. The American Red and California Ground squirrels are extremely territorial. Flying squirrels will exhibit territorial behavior if there is pressure for nesting locations. The degree of territorial defense also varies based upon the sex of the squirrel and the presence of babies.
If we look at the territorial behavior for some of these guys in detail then how they act starts making sense.
No, you did not read the title wrong. Squirrels attacking snakes does sound like something out of a Disney movie, especially if said movie features the squirrel actually winning against this formidable species. However, as implausible as it sounds, squirrels attacking snakes is a real thing.
It’s actually a classic David vs. Goliath tale if you ask me, which makes it a little freaky yet extremely cool. Let’s take a look at how and why squirrels attack snakes.
Squirrels attack snakes to defend and protect their young. Snakes love to eat baby ground squirrels that are only a few months old. Adult squirrels attack snakes by injuring them through bites and kicking gravel. Adult squirrels have quick reflexes, which help them avoid a snake strike. They can also take on the defensive position and warn snakes to leave them alone.
Snakes do not go for adult ground squirrels because they are often resistant to snake venom. Consider it an evolutionary marvel if you will, but many adult squirrels carry a protein in their blood that helps them survive the venom released from a snake bite (source).
Here’s a video of a mother squirrel taking on a snake to protect her babies. Watch the video and you will be AMAZED at what the squirrel can do!
