Mammals on Monday 4 - American Red Squirrel

The American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) is a widespread species and is actually found over a greater area of Canada than the USA.

This species has an average length (including tail its rather wonderful tail) of 28 – 35.5 cm and a weight of 200–250 g.  

Rather shockingly, this animal is more closely related to you and me than any of the other mammals I have posted on Mondays so far.  Squirrels are a placental mammal, just like us, and while there are clearly differences in many areas their reproductive floorpan is much the same as ours.

These squirrels are comely found in coniferous forests where they feed on the seeds of evergreen trees. However, they are equally at home in deciduous forests, backyards, parks, and urban areas, where they  eat foods such as berries, acorns, hazelnuts, mushrooms, and sunflower seeds from backyard bird feeding stations.  Somewhat surprisingly there diet also includes birds eggs and mice!

When stressed this species can be rather vocal - and as my wife said, 'it looks like he is shouting' in one of these pictures. 

What a splendid animal this is.

SM