Species: Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
Red Squirrel
Species
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Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Rodentia
Family
Sciuridae
Genus
Tamiasciurus
NatureServe
Classification
Other Global Common Names
écureuil roux
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Mammals - Rodents
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Mammalia - Rodentia - Sciuridae - Tamiasciurus - might be conspecific, but Lindsay (1982) concluded that apparent hybrids probably were examples of character convergence.
Ecology and Life History
Migration
true - false - false - Home range varies from 1-6 acres (Banfield 1974). In Alberta, most young settled close to mother's territory (maximum of 323 m from natal territory); of 219 births, only 20 offspring survived to the following spring (Larsen and Boutin 1994). In Minnesota, median dispersal distance for 8 young was 100 m, with 4 remaining in their natal ranges and 4 dispersing away (Sun 1997). In British Columbia, almost all juveniles settled on or adjacent to their natal territory (Haughland and Larsen 2004).
Non-migrant
true
Locally Migrant
false
Food Comments
Diet consists of seeds, conifer cones, nuts, fruits. Occasionally feeds on invertebrates and small vertebrates. Commonly caches, and later consumes, large amounts of food; characterized by larderhoarding in the west, scatterhoarding in the east (Dempsey and Keppie, 1993, J. Mamm. 74:1007-1013). Also taps maple trees and consumes sugar residues (Heinrich, 1992, J. Mamm. 73:51-54).
Reproduction Comments
Breeds March-April and June-July in Quebec. Gestation lasts 31-35 days (Lair 1985). Some females produce 2 litters/year; litter size averages 4-5. Some females breed when less than one year old (Lair 1986).
Ecology Comments
Densities range from about 1 per 3.2 ha (Pinaleno Mountains, southeastern Arizona) to 1 per 0.2 ha (Layne 1954, USFWS 1987). <br><br>More territorial than most other North Amerian tree squirrels. Some populations in British Columbia are limited by food (acting through effect on reproduction) (Sullivan 1990; see also J. Mamm. 73:930-936); but factors such as territorial behavior may limit populations at high density (Klenner and Krebs 1991, Klenner 1991). <br><br>Sciurid mycophagy may play important role in forest ecology (Maser and Maser 1988).
Length
39
Weight
252
Conservation Status
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G5
Global Status Last Reviewed
1996-11-06
Global Status Last Changed
1996-11-06
Distribution
Conservation Status Map
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Global Range
H - >2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles) - H - Alaska to Newfoundland, south to the southern Appalachians and through the Rocky Mountains to Arizona and New Mexico.
Global Range Code
H
Global Range Description
>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)