Rascals of the Trees

I recently watched an entertaining on-line video called Squirrel Obstacle Course, and it made me think about my relationship with the squirrels in my backyard. Was there more to them then the pests that raid my bird feeder or the frisky creatures that cause my dog to bolt across the woods?

They are one of the few local mammals that can be watched daily. This makes squirrels a great subject for nature journaling. Just open a notebook to a fresh page, record the date and the weather, and begin scribbling down or sketching what you notice. Over time you'll begin to see that each squirrel has a distinctive appearance and unique personality. Also in your journal write down your wonderings. "Are they more active in the morning or in the afternoon?" "Do they use their tail to communicate?" "Where are their nests?" You may even discover answers as you continue your observations. Remember that squirrels are wild animals, so just use your eyes and ears to observe them.

Perhaps you are lucky enough to have the stunning Albert's squirrel, Sciurus alberti, in your backyard. They are gray with darker sides, red-tinged back, white belly, and bushy tail. Their ears have distinctive black tufts at the tips and are the reason that they are also called the Tassel-eared squirrel. Actually, they are named after John James Albert, an American naturalist and military officer who headed the Corps of Topographical Engineers during their mapping of the West in the mid 1800s.

Abert's squirrels live above 5,000 feet and are highly adapted to life in the ponderosa pine forest, which provides the squirrel with food, shelter and places to raise young. You can spot the Tassel-eared squirrel's 1-3 foot diameter ball-like nest of twigs in a ponderosa tree crotch 20-40 feet off the ground. Within the ball is a small inner chamber lined with soft materials such as grass, leaves and shredded bark. Albert's squirrels especially like to build their nests in "witches'-brooms," growths of small pine twigs infected by dwarf mistletoe, which they also eat. They are diurnal, resting in their nests at night and moving about during the day. All squirrels are rodents and have four special gnawing teeth that grow continuously throughout their lives. During the warmer months, Albert's squirrels feed on the flowers, tree buds and developing pinecone seeds of the ponderosa pine, as well as, underground fungi found near mature ponderosa. In the process they spread seeds and fungi spores that rejuvenate the forest. They are active during the cold winter months. When food is scarce, they feed on pine needles and the inner bark of twigs, although these foods are less nutritious. Winters with long periods of snow cover make it very hard for the Tassel-eared squirrel to find food and survive. In the spring when staminate flowers of the ponderosa appear you might witness a mating chase during which several males pursue a female from sunup to sundown. Three to four young are born about 40 days later. Albert's squirrels are well adapted to life in the trees with double-jointed hind legs, four fingers, and vestigial thumbs to better climb. They can jump eight feet from tree to tree.

Whether your backyard squirrels are Albert's squirrels or another species, they are bound to be interesting to watch.

Fascinating Fact: Fossil records suggest that squirrels originated in North America 36 million years ago. They diversified and found their way to every major landmass except Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica.

Book Suggestions:
1) Earl the Squirrel by Don Freeman, author of the well-known Corduroy books for children. This is a fictional picture book about a young squirrel, who goes out in search of acorns to bring home to his mother.
2) Squirrels: The Animal Answer Guide by Thorington and Ferrell. "A completely authoritative scholarly guide to the biology of a group of organisms and... a completely readable, fully illustrated, and fascinating introduction for the general public." -- National Museum of Natural History Weekly Update & Forecast

References:
eNature
Tree of Life Project
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Wikipedia