A Gray Squirrel's Habitat
Gray squirrels eat different things according to the season, such as buds and flowers in spring and acorns and hickory nuts in the fall. This means that they will seek a habitat that gives them access to these foods.
Other People Are Reading
-
Geography
-
The northern range of the gray squirrel reaches to southern parts of Quebec and into Ontario and New Brunswick in Canada. The species lives in the United States in most of the eastern half of the nation, with gray squirrels also introduced into Washington state.
Woodlands
-
Woodland that has enough shrubs and vines mixed in with the larger trees is an ideal habitat for a gray squirrel, as it can find sufficient cover when on the ground and trees in which to build a den or nest to raise its young.
-
Water
-
Gray squirrels will utilize open water such as a lake, pond, river or stream but have the ability to get water from other sources if necessary.
Habitat size
-
According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources website, the typical home range of a gray squirrel encompasses between 1.5 and 1.8 acres. In many instances, the ranges of squirrels overlap with each other.
Backyard Squirrels
-
Many gray squirrels can make their home in back yards and in urban settings, as long as there are trees into which they can escape when danger presents itself. Properties with oak trees that produce edible acorns are often home to these squirrels.
-
References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Michael Scheltgen
