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The Behavior of Gray Squirrels

Gray squirrels are native to North America, and their geographic range stretches along the West Coast of the United States from north to south, throughout the eastern half of the United States and as far north as some southern areas of Canada. They have also been introduced to other countries, including South Africa and the United Kingdom. Gray squirrels are diurnal animals with very good eyesight in light conditions. This helps them detect predators, such as foxes, snakes and birds of prey. These squirrels also protect themselves from predators by being shy and secretive as well as being very fast when running along the ground or up a tree to escape danger. Many of the other characteristics of gray squirrel behavior are centered on the need for food and survival through the winter months.

Foraging
- Gray squirrels have a diverse diet, which includes flowers, bark, nuts, berries, pine cones, tree bark and caterpillars. These squirrels forage for food during the day. In the search for food, gray squirrels climb through trees in their preferred forest habitats and may also feed on the forest floor. The diet of the gray squirrel can vary slightly, depending on species and location. When food is abundant, gray squirrels practise scatter-hoarding. This is a process that involves burying food such as nuts and acorns in an area shared by the squirrel community, so that the animals can recover them when food becomes scarce.
Winter Survival
- As gray squirrels do not hibernate, it is essential for them to prepare themselves for survival when temperatures become much colder. This is particularly important in the northern range of their habitat. Before winter arrives, gray squirrels build up fat reserves by eating large amounts of food such as nuts. These fat reserves provide the squirrels with a source of energy as well as an important layer of insulation against the cold. In winter, the squirrels also access the communal stores of food that were buried in the fall.
Shelter
- Two types of shelter are used by gray squirrels. The first is a nest. These squirrels construct nests from leaves, twigs and a variety of other materials, depending on what is available. The nests are usually built in large trees. The second type of shelter is a tree den, which can be shared by a number of squirrels. Dens are the gray squirrel's preferred habitat for rearing young and for shelter when temperatures become very low in winter. Tree dens are often built by extending cavity nests that other birds have already built in trees.
Reproduction
- Gray squirrels usually produce one litter of young each year. A litter typically consists of two or three young squirrels, but some squirrels, such as the Arizona gray, can have as many as four young in a litter. Arizona gray squirrels prefer tree nests for raising young, while other species usually prefer to use tree dens. Some gray squirrel species, such as the eastern gray, may have two litters in a single year, although this usually only occurs when food is very abundant. The male gray squirrel plays no part in rearing young after mating. A female gray squirrel may share her nest with other squirrels.

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