THE ANIMAL FILES

Red squirrel

Sciurus vulgaris

A red squirrel need not be red, and its tail has more than one job.

Eurasian red squirrels climb and leap through trees with help from a long tail. Coat colours vary across individuals and regions, with seasonal changes in thickness and ear tufts. Seeds and other foods can be stored for later use.[1]

Follow the evidence ↓
Red squirrel
Image: Peter Trimming · Commons · CC BY 2.0
Tail
Helps balance and steering[1]
Coat
Variable; not every individual is red[1]
Nest
Dreys and tree cavities[1]

Balance above ground

The tail contributes to balance and steering during leaps and runs along branches, and also participates in social signalling. Long hindlimbs and a climbing-adapted skeleton support arboreal movement. The tail is therefore part of locomotion as well as the conspicuous silhouette seen from below.[1]

Changing coats

Red, brown and dark individuals occur within the species. Winter coats are thicker and ear tufts become more conspicuous, while summer coats are thinner. A coat colour familiar from one region should not be imposed on every population. Seasonal appearance can also change without any change in species identity.[1]

Stores and resting places

Tree seeds, nuts and other plant foods are important, with occasional animal foods also recorded. Some surplus food is cached. Nests occur near trunks or branch forks, and tree hollows can also be used. Individuals may maintain several resting nests, while local food supply influences overlap in their activity areas.[1]

A COMMON MIX-UP

Does dark fur exclude an animal from being a red squirrel?

No. Dark colour forms occur within the species.[1]

TRY A LITTLE REASONING

Why compare winter and summer observations before deciding that ear shape differs permanently?

Reveal the explanation

Ear tufts and coat thickness change seasonally, altering the visible outline.[1]

Sources & editorial notes

Adapted and translated from the cited Wikipedia revisions, with source-linked reasoning. Image credit and licence are listed separately above.

Adapted and translated from Wikipedia contributors; exact revisions are linked below. CC BY-SA 4.0

  1. Wikipedia contributors — Sciurus vulgaris (adapted and translated; exact revision)
  2. NCBI Taxonomy — Sciurus vulgaris (identity and game lineage)

Last fact check:

One discovery leads to another

Eastern gray squirrelA squirrel can use landmarks as well as smell to retrieve a buried nut.Sciurus carolinensis ↗GroundhogA groundhog’s winter is an active physiological change, not just a long nap.Marmota monax ↗Eastern chipmunkCheek pouches carry provisions, not proof of a secret earth-moving scheme.Tamias striatus ↗