Gray Squirrel

HABITAT:

It prefers deciduous or mixed forests. It can be found in forests, towns, parks…They need mature trees in which to guild their leafy nests called drays. The nest is built in large branches of the trees. The gray squirrel will also take advantage of tree cavities in which to build their nests. Its winter nests are made sturdier and tighter though not necessarily in the same place as the summer nest.

They prefer a thick understory in which to hide from predators.

BEHAVIOR:

They are most active in the morning and early evening but can be seen throughout the day. They will occasionally have 2 litters in a year. One being between March and April and the second between July and August. They have 2-3 young per litter.

Their range is 1.5 miles to 50 miles. They never wander far from the safety of the trees.. They have been known to move their home range to take advantage of food supply.

The gray squirrel is active year round and may share a nest with other squirrels in the winter. on exceptionally cold days they will hole up in their dray.

Gray squirrels cache (put aside for later) their food by burying individual nuts scattered throughout their range. Using their excellent sense of smell the squirrel can find these hidden nuts with their nose even under many inches of snow.

Their call is a chattering bark.

FOOD:

They eat nuts, seeds, grains, buds, mushrooms, fruit, bird eggs, inner bark of trees and in the spring when food is not as abundant they will eat insects and pupae.

PREDATORS:

People, hawks, owls, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, bobcat, mink, weasel, fisher and occasionally river otter.