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E A S T E R N F O X S Q U I R R E L (Sciurus niger) GENUS NAME: Sciurus SPECIES NAME: niger DIET: nuts, fruit (like tulip popular fruit), seeds (winged maple seeds, acorns, green pinecones), berries, open buds, fungi, corn, bird seed (by crop-raiding or provisioning) |
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 RELAXED NUT-EATING |
 TYPICAL NUT-EATING |
 BABY SQUIRRELS (NOTE THIN TAIL) |
The Eastern Fox Squirrel is found throughout most of the Eastern United States. These photos are of Indiana squirrels. In the western part of its range, the color of the belly is more rust-colored, and in the South, the fur can be black. They live in forests with oak, hickory, cypress, live oak, pine trees, or mangrove swamps, as well as trees in town. The female squirrel gives birth to two to four offspring in a litter; older females may have 2 litters a year. Squirrels build big, leaf-filled nests in trees, and also use tree holes for nest shelters. Vocalizations include chattering and "barking" sounds (like "que, que, que, que") -- often accompanied by flicking the tail back and forth. Squirrels use their tail mostly for maintaining balance, but it can also serve as a blanket, umbrella, and as shade from the sun. The most similar species to the Eastern Fox Squirrel is the Eastern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), which is smaller, has a gray belly, and flattened tail with silvery-tipped hairs. READ MORE ABOUT ANIMALS |
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