Photo by: Lisa Robinson
Douglas squirrel or chickaree Tamiasciurus douglasii
Order Rodentia Rodents
- Animals with 2 upper & 2 lower incisors and no canines
- Of all mammals, has the most number of worldwide species
Family Sciuridae Squirrel Family (tail always completely haired)
Subfamily Sciurinae Marmots, ground squirrels, chipmunks, & tree squirrels
- Tail usually bushy
- 4 toes on front feet, 5 toes on hind feet
- Internal cheek pouches in ground squirrels & chipmunks)
Characteristics:
- Whitish-tipped tail hairs
- Underparts: yellowish white to deep orange
- In summer, a dark line demarks dorsal edge
- Ears tipped with long hairs
- Tree squirrels do not hibernate and are active during the day (except for Northern flying squirrel)
Eats: conifer cones, cut from trees in the fall and stored in a moist place for 1-3 years. Also eats fungi.
Eaten by: coyotes, bobcats, goshawks, horned owls
Tree squirrels differ from ground squirrels and chipmunks by having:
- Long, bushy tails
- Lack of stripes or spots on sides
- 3.No internal cheek pouches
