Eastern Grey Squirrels

The eastern Grey Squirrel is a medium sized squirrel found in Canada and the Eastern US, plus it is being introduced to Italy, Scotland, South Africa, England and some western US states. Squirrels are more than just annoying pests that ravage your garden, get into your attics, or stuck to bottom of your car tires. They actually are a quite intelligent and interesting species.

The physical appearance of the squirrels does not differ from male to female in size or color. They are both black and grey. This causes some people to mistake them as two different species. The backs of squirrels usually are dark to pale grey (with salt and pepper like look) and sometimes has reddish tones on their hips, feet and head. The stomachs and tails are white to pale grey.

The most distinguishable feature of a squirrel is it’s bushy tail. Sciurus is the Latin work for squirrel. If you break the word apart, skia means shadow and oura means tail. The obtained this name because grey squirrels were said to sit in the shadow of its own tail.

Juvenile makes leave the nest early than females usually. This usually occurs during the fall. The fact that males usually leave the nest early makes them have a higher mortality rate than females. The actual ratio of adult female to male grey squirrels is .85 males : 1.6 females.

Males mature sexually at 10-11 months old. Five to ten males will begin following females up to five days before they begin estrus. Up to 34 males have been documented as following a single female at a time. While following the females a hierarchy is formed and the female first mates with the most dominant male on the day of estrus. She will later mate with several other males.

A grey squirrels body is structured for climbing high trees. The death rate of squirrels from falling is very low. Their sharp curved claws, ability to reverse their hind foot 180 degrees for descending head first, and tails that help with balance are some of the adaptations for tree climbing.

When squirrels are first born they have no hair, pinkish bodies, closed eyes and weigh between 11 to 13 grams. Around three weeks old hair begins to grow aroun

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