Forest Acrobats
Balancing on the thin outer branch of the red oak canopy, the gray squirrel I was watching though my binoculars made some final adjustments, launched into the air, and landed gracefully on a distant branch in a neighboring tree. Gripping the landing point, this nimble rodent swayed for several moments before scurrying down into the tree’s stout limbs, eventually jumping onto the forest floor.
Spying the small albino fur marking on its back, I smiled, knowing it was Dot Girl, a female squirrel I had been observing for over a decade in my wooded yard. A typical life span is 3-5 years in the wild, making her quite a senior gal. Her beautiful full tail seemed to wave as she moved towards the feeder area, scouring the ground for sunflower seeds.
The bushy tail functions as a rudder, assisting squirrels navigate those gravity-defying leaps, as well keeping a steady footing while racing head-first down a tree trunk. But it also serves as a means of communication.
Being prey animals, gray squirrels need to keep a constant vigil for potential predators in the skies and on the ground. Hawks, like the powerful red-tailed, can snag an unaware squirrel with its sharp talons, flying off with the protein-packed meal. Fox and coyote pose threats as they can stalk unsuspecting squirrels.
When predators are spotted, squirrels quickly climb to a protruding branch in a nearby tree, chatter and wave their tails in a circular fashion, alerting other animals, including birds, to the danger.
The same length of the body, bushy tails raised and draped overhead provide a makeshift shelter and umbrella against wet weather and heat loss. Scientists theorize this tail position also acts as camouflage, breaking up the silhouette of the animal perched on a limb.
Typical of prey animals, large eyes are set on the side of the head, providing better surveillance of surrounding territory. A keen sense of hearing is also paramount to survival. Squirrels are tuned to noises of other animals, particularly alarm calls of birds warning of predators.
Active all year, squirrels are adapted to life in the harsher, cold northern climates. In fall, their feet grow additional fur to insulate and act like mini snowshoes, enabling them to bound over snow with minimal energy expended.
Finding reliable food during these challenging months can mean life or death for these rodents. Being a scatter hoarder, squirrels have evolved a brilliant strategy of burying acorns and other hard nuts under the leaf litter in the fall. Using their nimble front paws, they quickly dig a small hole, place the nut in the shallow depression, scan the environment for any watching and opportunistic squirrels, and cover the treasure, bounding away to continue the caching of vital protein.
They have a keen sense of smell and can detect and retrieve buried nuts under a foot of snow, with approximately 80 percent accuracy. Granted, it may not be just their nuts they find! Come spring the remaining hidden nuts germinate with rain and the sun’s warmth, growing into new hardwood trees such as oaks, beech, and hickory. An essential seed dispersal service for these trees.
Life in the treetops invites gray squirrels to explore excellent nesting and sheltering options. Cavities in the upper recesses of deciduous trees, excavated by woodpeckers or from a dead limb, create safe, warm winter quarters, especially when lined with soft insulating plant fibers.
In late winter, the first litter of baby squirrels are born in these cavities, spending the first few months in the safety of these cozy nurseries. Depending on food availability, a second litter is born in early summer.
Summer dens are typically large, leafy nests, called dreys, and constructed high in a deciduous tree, securely wedged into the crotch of strong limbs. Framed with bitten branches and covered with overlapping waxy leaves, these structures are surprisingly weather-tight and sturdy. An entry hole in the bottom keeps rain out and allows quick and safe access for the occupant.
Like all rodents, squirrel populations fluctuate with available food sources. Partial to mast crops, like acorns and tree nuts, squirrels will also consume berries and even bird eggs or amphibians, if preferred nut sources are poor, making them true omnivores.
Gray squirrels are an essential animal for the health of deciduous forests, providing seed dispersal, and being food for apex predators like hawks and coyotes.
The next time you become frustrated at the persistent antics of squirrels in your bird feeders or in garden beds, try to remember their ecological value. It just might help to see them in a more favorable light!
This blog post is in honor of Dot Girl, who succumbed to an infected paw in early June of 2023. I last saw her climb up into her oak tree nest cavity and imagined her peacefully passing. I am grateful for the years I watched her, learning many fascinating aspects of gray squirrels’ natural history.
