The Squirrel Station: Weekly Squirrel- The Grey Squirrel

Your average everyday Grey Squirrel

This week's topic is- the Grey Squirrel(Sciurus carolinensis)!

Description

Grey Squirrels are, as their name says, grey. They have a white underside, and parts of their tail are generally white. I have seen a squirrel that had a white spot on her back, though. Although from a distance, you cannot see it, they do have brown in their fur. Most grey squirrels have brown on their faces and backs.

Range

Grey Squirrels live in a lot of places. They mainly live in parts of North America and Europe, but are known to live in small parts of South America and Asia. They like deciduous forests, and dense woodland ecosystems. They prefer Oak-Hickory hardwood forests over Coniferous forests.

Diet

Grey Squirrels eat a variety of foods, including, but not limited to, acorns, tree bark, tree buds, berries, many types of seeds and acorns, walnuts, and other nuts, and some types of fungi. On rare occasions, when their food is scarce, they will prey on insects, frogs, and small birds (Yes, I agree, this news is absolutely terrifying). They will also eat tomatoes, corn, strawberries, and other crops. Many people consider them a menace to farmers because they eat their crops. I agree, they shouldn't eat the farmer's crops, but with all the deforestation going on and humans clearing out forests to plant their crops, squirrels need more food. My solution- put a few bird feeders up, giving them something else to eat other than your tomatoes!

Behavior

Grey Squirrels live in nests called Drays during the Spring and Summer, and usually live in a hollow of a tree during winter to keep warm (Usually they cover the entrance to the hollow with leaves).

Grey Squirrels usually have a litter during the Spring and Autumn, with 2-6 pups in a litter. The young squirrels are born without fur, their eyes closed, and no hearing. They get all that when they are around five weeks old, and usually leave the nest when they are about seven weeks old.

For more on the Grey Squirrel, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_gray_squirrel