A tree squirrel with predominantly gray fur that may have a reddish tinge, a white belly, and a large bushy tail. The Gray Squirrel often hoards food in many small places. Squirrels have a very accurate memory for their hidden food, with some of the food being retrieved quickly and other food being left in the hiding spot for months.
Forest, Urban
Ranges over the eastern United States to just west of the Mississippi River and north to Canada.
Common
Diurnal
Feeds mostly on nuts, flowers and buds of more than 24 species of oaks, 10 species of hickory, pecan, walnut and beech tree species.
The eastern gray squirrel is a scatter-hoarder; it hoards food in numerous small caches for later recovery. During the spring, summer and autumn, squirrels have their peak activity times about 2 hours after sunrise and 2-5 hours before sunset. This allows them to avoid the heat of the day. During the winter, they are unimodally diurnal with a peak just 2-4 hours before sunset. Generally, females are more active in the summer months and males are more active in the winter months. A dominance hierarchy forms in males during breeding times; females mate with several males.
Least Concern
