Eastern Grey Squirrel

Eastern Grey Squirrel

Description

A medium-sized tree squirrel with predominantly grey fur that can show cinnamon or brownish tones, a pale to white belly, and a large, bushy tail edged in white. Head and body measure about 25 to 28 cm, with a tail nearly as long again, and adults weigh roughly 400 to 600 g. Males and females look alike, showing no notable difference in size or colour.

Habitat

It is native to the deciduous and mixed woodlands of eastern North America and southeastern Canada, and readily takes to city parks and gardens. Introduced by people to Britain, Ireland, Italy and elsewhere in Europe, it has spread widely and often outcompetes the native red squirrel.

Diet

An opportunistic omnivore, it feeds mainly on nuts, acorns, seeds, buds and tree bark, along with fungi, berries and fruit. It also occasionally takes insects, eggs and other small items, and buries surplus food in scattered caches for the winter.

Reproduction

Females typically raise one or two litters a year after a gestation of around 42 to 45 days. A litter usually contains two to four young, which are born blind and hairless and are weaned at about ten weeks of age.

Lifespan

In the wild most live only a few years, though survivors may reach 6 to 12 years; in human care they can live considerably longer, occasionally up to about 20 years.

Did you know?

The grey squirrel relies on both memory and a keen sense of smell to relocate the many nuts it buries. The nuts it forgets often sprout, so the squirrel unintentionally helps plant new trees across the forest.