Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Solitary Fox Squirrel
By Tom Berg
When it comes to squirrels, none in North America are larger than the fox squirrel. Oh, sure, there are bigger squirrels elsewhere in the world – like the giant black squirrel from southeast Asia which can be almost three feet long – but the largest tree squirrel in the USA is the fox squirrel. They typically grow to around two feet long, including their long fluffy tail, and they usually weigh 1-2 pounds.
Aside from their large size, fox squirrels are pretty easy to identify. Their fur is brownish-gray on their back and head, with brighter orange or brownish-orange on their legs and undersides. The orange color is reminiscent of the red fox, thus the name. As kids we called them red squirrels, but a better description would be orange squirrels!
In populated urban areas, fox squirrels are often completely displaced by the slightly smaller but more aggressive gray squirrels. However, fox squirrels are still common in rural areas and open forests just outside of town. In these areas they lead somewhat solitary lives, except during mating time (December and June).
Fox squirrels spend most of their time foraging for food alone on the forest floor, where they search for acorns, hickory nuts, walnuts and other seeds. They also love maple seeds, pine nuts, berries, fruit, corn, roots, tree buds, fungi, bird eggs and insects. Although they are loners, they don’t mind if other squirrels forage nearby, too. Even though they spend a lot of time on the ground, they are excellent climbers.
Fox squirrels prefer to nest in hollow cavities in trees; in holes often made by woodpeckers the previous year. The squirrels raise their young in these cavities where they are well-protected from predators and the elements. Even though the baby squirrels are born blind and don’t open their eyes for the first month, they are totally self-sufficient by the time they are four months old.
Keep an eye out for these interesting squirrels this summer.
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