The largest chipmunk in North America and the only species found in most of the eastern U.S. It has a reddish body, gray tail, and distinctive stripes on its back. The Eastern Chipmunk spends most of its time on the ground, running with its tail held straight up or digging extensive systems of burrows underground where it hoards food essential to its winter survival. Rather than surviving on accumulated body fat during hibernation, this chipmunk awakens every few days to feed on its stored food.
Fruit, seeds, nuts, insects
Eastern Chipmunks are solitary and territorial, especially close to their burrow. Foraging occurs mostly along the ground, but they are proficient climbers. Eastern chipmunks cache food but do not have the fat stores to hibernate.
Least Concern
