How to Identify Different Types of Squirrels

Squirrels are a familiar sight in urban and rural landscapes alike, often seen scurrying around parks, yards, and forests. So, how many types of squirrels are there? Worldwide, there are over 200 species of squirrels, with about 65 of them calling North America home. You might see multiple types of squirrels going about their business, including tree squirrels, ground squirrels, and flying squirrels. Each type has distinct characteristics, including where they live and how they behave.

While undoubtedly adorable with their fluffy little frames, squirrels can wreak havoc on your property, causing significant damage to your home or yard. So, if you’re seeing an increase in squirrel activity and suspect you might have an infestation, it’s important to call a professional wildlife removal service like Critter Control to safely and humanely address the problem before they cause costly damage to your property.

Need Help with Squirrel infestation?

Find a Critter Control near you.

How to Identify Different Squirrel Species

Squirrels come in multiple shapes, sizes, and colors. Each type of squirrel can look a little different, featuring different colors and varying physical traits. However, since they can look quite similar from a distance, differentiating between the species usually comes down to their unique behaviors.

Most Common Squirrel Species

Over 200 species of squirrels are found in great abundance worldwide. Species of squirrels in the United States fall into one of three categories: tree, ground, or flying squirrels.

Despite differences in nesting habits and behaviors, most of these pests share the same basic characteristics of bushy tails, short arms and legs, sharp claws for climbing and foraging, and pointed ears. Flying squirrels are unique as they have membranous webbing between their limbs to facilitate their ability to glide through the air.

Flying squirrels can glide distances over 150 feet, making openings on homes easily accessible, and tree squirrels utilize their climbing abilities to gain access to homes. Ground squirrels are commonly seen destroying yards or gardens.

Tree Squirrel Species & Appearance

Tree squirrels are the most easily recognizable group of squirrels. Three species are prominent throughout North America: gray, fox, and red squirrels.

Gray squirrels live in practically every state. The eastern gray squirrel lives throughout the Eastern United States and just west of the Mississippi. They have been introduced to western states like California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, and British Columbia. The western gray squirrel can be found in Washington, Oregon, California, and a small part of Nevada. Despite their name, these pests are commonly gray, brown, black, tan, and even red.

Fox squirrels also live in the Eastern United States. They are typically reddish, have tan bellies, and sometimes have prominent black ears and feet.

Red squirrels live in forested, northern areas of the country and have fur that changes color from grayish-red to orange-red with the seasons. They are smaller than other species of tree squirrels and have tufted ears.

Ground Squirrels & Flying Squirrels

Ground squirrels and flying squirrels comprise a smaller portion of the U.S. squirrel population. Both maintain similar diets as tree squirrels but live in different settings.

Ground squirrels, the smallest of all squirrel species, burrow into the ground and set up dens underneath the soil.

Flying squirrels live in trees in the northern and southern states. Unlike tree and ground squirrels, flying squirrels are nocturnal. Locating and identifying the creatures can be extremely difficult.

Squirrels vs. Other Critters

It can be easy to mistake a squirrel for another critter, like a chipmunk or rat. However, there are multiple differences between squirrels and chipmunks, the most notable being the drastic difference in size. Chipmunks are only about half the size of a squirrel.

You may also mistake these critters for rats, especially if you only catch a glimpse of them. While both are rodents, there are a handful of differences between squirrels and rats, namely in appearance. A squirrel’s appearance differs significantly from that of a rat. Squirrels have thick, fluffy tails, while rats have thin and hairless tails. Squirrels are also much larger than rats and move in bouncy leaps. Rats scurry, dragging their tails along behind them.

Squirrel Damage & Removal

Squirrels can inflict costly and extensive damages on manmade buildings, like your home and outbuildings, by burrowing under foundations, shredding insulation, and chewing through electrical wiring. Ground squirrels may also disturb, tear up, and destroy your beautifully maintained gardens and flower beds. Every species of squirrel will leave behind trails of droppings wherever they feed and nest, which aids in the spread of disease.

If you suspect your home is infested with squirrels, regardless of the species, it’s best to call pest specialists like those at Critter Control to take care of squirrel removal efficiently and humanely. The squirrel’s life cycle is about five to six years, and they reproduce rapidly, so if you don’t address the problem promptly, it can spiral out of control.

Contact Critter Control for Professional Squirrel Removal

If squirrels have overtaken your home or property, enlisting professional wildlife removal services is a must. Our experienced team at Critter Control is here to help you address your squirrel infestation quickly and efficiently, using humane methods to remove the pests from your home. We can identify the type of squirrels you’re dealing with, safely remove them, and take steps to prevent future infestations.

So, if you are seeing an influx of squirrels around your property, don’t wait for them to start wreaking havoc on your home and property. Contact Critter Control today for reliable and humane squirrel removal services, or find an office near you.

Learn more about squirrel removal.