Red Squirrels

Have you ever walked through a pine forest and seen a little red squirrel perched out at the end of a limb, loudly chirping at you? If so, you are looking at a red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus.) Red squirrels have a fairly large range, extending from Alaska all the way across the United States, found wherever evergreen trees are present. These little animals prefer eating evergreen seeds and cones, but have adapted to a diet of deciduous nuts and tree parts in hardwood regions like the Appalachian Mountains. Red Squirrels have a red coat with a white belly and are larger than a chipmunk, but much smaller than a gray or fox squirrel. Red squirrels are very territorial, so when you invade their space, they often will “bark” at you from a nearby limb.

Article by FCFCDB

Nature note for 1/16/21