Mammals
Fox Squirrel
Sciurus niger · also called fox squirrels
Ambling across a lawn at the edge of a woodland, a fox squirrel pauses to bury an acorn in yet another scattered cache, its rich rust-orange coat and noticeably larger frame setting it apart at a glance from the smaller, greyer squirrels sharing the same yard.
Overview
The fox squirrel, Sciurus niger, is the largest tree squirrel species found in North America, native to forest and semi-open grassland-edge habitat across a broad range of the central and eastern United States. Its considerable size, rich rust-orange colouring, and stronger tolerance for open, semi-wooded habitat make it one of the more visually distinctive and adaptable tree squirrels on the continent.
The biggest squirrel in the neighbourhood
Sharing much of its range with the smaller, more common eastern gray squirrel, the fox squirrel stands out immediately by size and colour alone, a bulkier, more richly coloured presence in the same trees and yards.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and abundant across suitable forest and semi-open habitat throughout the central and eastern United States.
Fox Squirrel: common questions
How can you tell a fox squirrel from an eastern gray squirrel?
Size and colour are the clearest clues, since the fox squirrel is noticeably larger and bulkier than the eastern gray squirrel and typically shows a rich rust-orange to reddish-brown colouring, compared with the eastern gray squirrel's smaller size and more uniformly grey coat.
Why is the fox squirrel called a fox squirrel?
The common name likely reflects the species' rich, fox-like rust-orange colouring seen across much of its range, though coat colour can vary considerably by region, with some populations showing much darker or even black colouring instead.
How does the fox squirrel store food for winter?
This species scatter-hoards food across a wide territory, burying individual nuts and seeds in numerous separate locations rather than concentrating them in one central cache, a strategy that spreads the risk of losing stored food to competitors who might discover a single large stash.
Is the fox squirrel as agile as the eastern gray squirrel?
Generally not; this species tends to forage more on the ground and move somewhat less acrobatically through trees compared with the smaller, faster eastern gray squirrel, a difference that reflects the fox squirrel's bulkier, heavier build.