Eastern Gray Squirrel

The Eastern Gray Squirrel is a common and familiar tree squirrel native to the eastern and midwestern United States. It is a resourceful and adaptable animal that can thrive in a variety of habitats, from forests to suburban yards.

The Eastern Gray Squirrel is known for its habit of caching acorns and other nuts. It buries these nuts in the ground and later retrieves them to eat. This behavior is vital for the regeneration of oak forests, as the squirrel often forgets where it buried some of the nuts.

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Classification

Mammalia > Rodentia > Sciuridae > Sciurus > S. carolinensis

Native To

Conservation Status

Average Height

15 - 20 inches
(38 - 51 cm)

Average Weight

1 - 1.5 lbs
(0.5 - 0.7 kg)

Average Life Span

6 - 12 years

Gestation Period

44 days

Diet

Omnivore (nuts, seeds, fruits, insects)

Social Structure

Solitary

Biomes
(And Habitats)

Did You Know?

The Eastern Gray Squirrel is highly adaptable and can be found in a variety of habitats, from forests to urban parks across eastern North America.

They are known for their excellent memory when it comes to burying and retrieving nuts and seeds, but they also "forget" some, helping to plant trees.

Eastern Gray Squirrels communicate through a variety of vocalizations, including barks, chatters, and chirps.

Their diet primarily consists of nuts, seeds, fruits, and fungi.

These squirrels are agile climbers and can run up and down trees with incredible speed and grace.

Eastern Gray Squirrels build nests called "dreys" out of leaves, twigs, and other plant materials, often high in trees.

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