Mammals
Northern Flying Squirrel
Glaucomys sabrinus · also called northern flying squirrels
Launching silently from a high branch after dark, a northern flying squirrel spreads its furred gliding membrane wide and sails between trees, covering a surprising distance before landing gently on a distant trunk without ever touching the ground below.
Overview
The northern flying squirrel, Glaucomys sabrinus, is a nocturnal, gliding rodent native to coniferous and mixed forest habitat across a broad range of Canada, Alaska, and the northern United States. Its remarkable gliding ability, specialised fungus-heavy diet, and important role in dispersing beneficial forest fungi make it one of the more ecologically distinctive small mammals found in the northern forest.
A forest glider rarely seen by daylight
Almost entirely nocturnal, the northern flying squirrel spends its nights sailing silently between trees on a furred gliding membrane, a hidden lifestyle that keeps this genuinely common species largely unnoticed by the people sharing its forest.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and stable across suitable coniferous and mixed forest habitat throughout Canada, Alaska, and the northern United States.
Northern Flying Squirrel: common questions
Can the northern flying squirrel actually fly?
No, this species cannot achieve true powered flight and instead glides using a furred membrane called a patagium stretched between its front and hind limbs, controlling its direction with subtle adjustments of its limbs and flattened tail during each glide.
How does the northern flying squirrel help forest trees?
This species feeds heavily on underground fungi, and by consuming and later dispersing fungal spores through its droppings across the forest floor, it plays a meaningful role in supporting the same beneficial fungal relationships that many forest trees rely on for their own health.
Why is the northern flying squirrel so rarely seen?
This species is almost entirely nocturnal, active only after dark, which means it is rarely encountered by people despite often sharing forest habitat with several more commonly observed daytime squirrel species.
How far can a northern flying squirrel glide?
This species can glide considerable distances between trees in a single launch, an efficient way to travel through the forest canopy that minimises the time it spends exposed and vulnerable on the ground below.