Squirrels will forage for food and store it away to last through the upcoming winter.
Squirrels are mammals of the "Rodentia" order. The tree squirrel, ground squirrel, flying squirrel, chipmunk, marmot, woodchuck and prairie dog belong to the squirrel family, sciuridae. Squirrels livings in our backyard trees are most often referred to as tree squirrels. Tree squirrels do not hibernate; rather, they keep their activities to a minimum during the winter months to conserve energy.
Tree Squirrel Species
Tree squirrels learned to live and coexist with man. Four species of tree squirrels live in Illinois -- fox squirrel, eastern gray squirrel,red squirrel and southern flying squirrel. Compared to other squirrels, these species are relatively small with long and bushy tails, prominent ears and long hind feet. Other tree squirrel species are western gray, tassel-eared, Arizona gray and chickaree.
Habitat
Tree squirrels may live either in wooded forests or in parks in towns and cities. Tree squirrels prefer living in pine, oak, maple or hickory hardwood forests. A good squirrel habitat would contain many mature fruit- and nut-producing trees, plus a mixture of other trees and shrubs to provide food varieties throughout the year. A good habitat would also have tree hollows for escape, hiding food or breeding. Without tree cavities, tree squirrels may build nests of leaves in trees. Tree squirrels feed on both natural foods -- foods gathered in its surroundings -- and foods offered by man. Squirrels eat acorns, hickory nuts, walnuts, corn, seeds, berries and other fruits. Scarcity of food will cause tree squirrels to feed on tree barks, bugs, insects and animal matter such as bird eggs and nestlings. They may even feed on animal carcasses if food is extremely scarce.
Activities
The squirrel family, except for the flying squirrel, is active during the day. Most activity happens during summer. These natural acrobats are a sight to behold as they run, climb trees and hop from tree to tree in the early mornings. They will return to their nests to rest just before dark. Solitary creatures but not territorial, tree squirrels will be seen in close proximity to each other especially in places of abundant food.
Winter Activities
Though rarely seen during the winter months, tree squirrels do not hibernate. During winter, they keep their activities to a minimum to conserve energy. They just stay in their winter nests and snuggle with their families to keep warm. Not capable of storing enough energy to survive for long periods without food, a tree squirrel may come out of its nest during winter only to search for hidden food.
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