Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
Gray squirrels feed mostly on nuts and acorns from oak, beech, walnut and hickory trees. (Smudge 9000/Flickr)
The eastern gray squirrel is a grayish-brown, bushy-tailed rodent that lives in forests, parks and backyards throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Appearance:
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Grayish body with some black, white or brown fur
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Whitish belly
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Some gray squirrels are completely black. This is called melanism.
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Bushy tail that varies in color from pale gray to brownish
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Can grow to 20 inches long and weigh 1.5 pounds
Habitat:
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Lives in mixed hardwood forests, as well as parks, yards and other wooded areas in cities, towns and suburbs
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Creates a permanent den within a tree cavity or in a nest of leaves and twigs on a tree crotch
Range:
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Found throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed
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Each squirrel has a home range of no more than 5 acres
Feeding:
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Feeds mostly on nuts and acorns from oak, beech, walnut and hickory trees, as well as seeds, fruits, bulbs and flowers from other plants and trees
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Will also eat frogs, insects, bird eggs and farm crops such as corn and wheat
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Stores nuts and seeds at the end of summer to eat throughout the winter
Predators:
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Preyed upon by minks, weasels, bobcats, raptors, red foxes and other predatory animals
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Emits a warning call to let other squirrels know predators are near
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Hard to capture because it can climb and jump among trees quickly and easily
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
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Mates twice per year, in December-February and again in May-June
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Females nest alone while pregnant
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After 44 days, the female gives birth to 2-3 blind, naked young
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The female cares for her young until they are weaned at about 10 weeks old
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Males reach sexual maturity at 11 months old, while females mature at about 1.25 years old
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Can live up to 12 years in the wild
Other Facts:
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In September, some young gray squirrels will leave their current area to find a new place to live and establish their own home range
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The gray squirrel’s bushy tail has a number of uses, including balance, warmth and protection from the weather, and communicating with other squirrels
Sources and Additional Information:
Places:
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Gunpowder Falls State Park – Kingsville, Maryland
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Sandy Point State Park – Annapolis, Maryland
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Turner’s Creek Park and Sassafras Natural Resources Management Area – Kennedyville, Maryland
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Tuckahoe State Park – Queen Anne, Maryland
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Wye Island Natural Resources Management Area – Queenstown, Maryland
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Janes Island State Park – Crisfield, Maryland
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Huntley Meadows Park – Alexandria, Virginia
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Stratford Hall Plantation – Stratford, Virginia
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Belle Isle State Park – Lancaster, Virginia
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Lawrence Lewis, Jr. Park – Charles City, Virginia
