Flying SquirrelsĬontrary to the name, no flying squirrel actually flies. They are active year round, often visiting backyard bird feeders. Gray Squirrels and Fox Squirrels rank among the most common tree squirrels found in residential areas across the United States. Tree squirrels generally grow to a medium size, allowing them to nest in tree cavities or limbs. Chipmunks also show stripes on their bodies.Įstimates vary, however, North America hosts approximately ten different tree squirrel species. The top picture compares the Golden-mantled ground squirrel (in the front) with a striped faced chipmunk in the background.
Golden-mantled ground squirrels (Spermophilus lateralis), small ground squirrels found in forested areas throughout the Western United States, can easily be confused with chipmunks.
Most ground squirrels species spend their days foraging for food along the ground, however, some species are known to climb trees. Their practice of nesting in ground burrows explains their category name. Ground Squirrels, including, chipmunks, marmots and prairie dogs, account for the vast majority of native squirrel species (56 of 66 documented species). Squirrels (Sciuridae), the largest rodent family in terms of the total number of species, blend easily into every type of landscape, from residential areas to forests, fields and deserts, and they divide between three general categories: ground squirrels tree squirrels and flying squirrels.