ALBERTA INSTITUTE FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
Squirrel Information
How do you tell Alberta's squirrels apart?
Alberta has two species of native squirrels: the flying squirrel and the red squirrel.
We also have a non-native squirrel that is considered 'invasive', and that's the Eastern gray squirrel.
The red squirrel (see on the left) is a reddish-brown above with white underparts and a dark line separating red from white. They are 25 to 38 centimeters in total length.
The Eastern gray squirrel is variable in color but most are a distinct gray or black. Some have a reddish sheen to their fur. Gray squirrels are larger than red squirrels, in length, girth, and weight.
The flying squirrel is much less common. Their eyes are large and jet black. They have a loose flap of skin running from foreleg to backleg. When outstretched that flap of skin allows them to glide from tree to tree. Flying squirrels are rare in the city.
General Information:
Gray squirrels breed in mid December or early January and again in June. The gestation period is 42 to 45 days. During the breeding season, noisy mating chases take place when one or more males pursue a female through the trees.
They nest in tree cavities, man-made squirrel boxes, or in leaf nests. They can also take over old magpie or crow nests and 'renovate' them to their liking. Their preferred nest is within the safe confines of a box or a human household, perhaps your attic!
About 3 young comprise a litter. At birth they are hairless, blind, and their ears are closed. Young begin to explore outside the nest about the time they are weaned at 10 to 12 weeks. At weaning they are about half their adult weight.
Squirrels are a food source for hawks, owls, snakes, and several mammalian predators. Predation seems to have little effect on their populations.
The gray squirrel can have a reddish tinge to their fur but they are
dominantly gray or all black.
Juvenile Red Squirrels
Diet:
Fortunately for our native squirrels, gray squirrels have not adapted well to wild environments and thrive only in urban settings. However, their large size and urban habit have driven most of our red squirrels from Calgary. Both speices eat a variety of native foods, but can adapt quickly to unusual food sources. Naturally, the are especially fond of NUTS! Nuts and other foods are often cached for later use. In late winter and early spring they will eat tree buds. In summer they eat fruits, berries, and succulent plant materials. Mushrooms, corn, and cultivated fruits are taken when available. During population peaks, when food is scarce, these squirrels may chew bark from a variety of trees. They will also eat insects and other animal matter.
Red squirrels are often heavily dependent on coniferous forests for cones and buds, hence their tremendous success in boreal and evergreen forests.
Potential Damage:
Squirrels have a great set of strong teeth that grow continually. They may cause structural damage to your house by chewing through shingles (above left), wiring, or even through stucco (above right). Sometimes a squirrel family will move into your attic where they can put holes in insulation, chew through electrical wires, and leave their droppings behind.
In residential areas, squirrels sometimes travel power lines and short out transformers.
Occasionally, they can damage lawns by burying or searching for food. They've been known to steal flower bulbs and chew the bark on ornamental shrubbery and they may raid bird feeders.
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