All about squirrels

Sciurus vulgaris is the Latin name for the Eurasian Red Squirrel. It is distinct from the Eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), which is commonly referred to as simply the grey squirrel, which is native to North America.

Length: 20cm plus a tail of 18cm

Weight: 280-350g

Average lifespan: 3 years (maximum 5-6 years)

Despite their name, red squirrels aren't always bright rusty red - some are pale brown, grey or almost black and their tails often go blond in summer. They are a lot smaller than greys, about half the size. Keep an eye out for their paws as these are usually still a rusty red/brown colour if it's a red.

Here we see a red squirrel, but its tail and back are grey

© Alistair Moulstone

Here's what you might say is a classic red squirrel picture.

The native extent of the red squirrel

By NordNordWest - BlankMap-World6, compact.svg by Canuckgay et al.IUCN red list, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5694657

The native extent of the grey squirrel

By Saukkomies - File:BlankMap-World6, compact.svg by Canuckguy et al.http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/42462/0, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9906271

How have the reds fared since 1945?

Unattributed image source

Here's how to identify the difference between Red and Grey Squirrels, courtesy of the Wildlife Trusts Mid-Wales Red Squirrel Project

No, red and grey squirrels cannot breed together.

Spring time. They mate between January and March and again between June and July, depending on food availability in the previous autumn.

Red squirrels are most often found in coniferous woods. You may also find pine cones that have been nibbled, leaving what looks like an apple core behind. They can also be found in broadleaved woodland where they feast on hazelnuts by cracking the shell in half. Unfortunately, you cannot distinguish whether cones or shells have been left behind by red or grey squirrels, so further evidence is needed.

A red squirrel eating a hazelnut

Red squirrel on the ground holding a hazelnut in its front paws and eating it.

A red squirrel eating a pine cone

A red squirrel eating a pine cone

You can tell this by looking at the teeth marks left behind in pine cones once they've been eaten.

Left-handed squirrels hold the cone with the top towards the left and use their left paw to totate the cone and right-handed squirrels do the opposite.

You can see a spiral pattern left behind on the cone once they've discarded it.

You can see squirrels year round because they don't hibernate. You may hear the scratching sound of a red squirrel's claws in the branches before you see it - and it might chatter crossly or even stamp its feet if you surprise it.

Red squirrels are active in the daytime but, like us, don't really like being out in bad weather. They also enjoy an afternoon nap, especially when it's hot. From January into early spring watch for red squirrels racing through the trees and spiraling up and down the trunks. This is mating time and the males are chasing after the females.

Despite their name, red squirrels aren't always bright rusty red - some are pale brown, grey or almost black and their tails often go quite blond in summer. They are a lot smaller than greys, about half the size.

Keep an eye out for their paws as these are usually still a rusty red/brown colour if it's a red.

Red squirrels can jump more than 2m and survive a fall of more than 12m without injury.

Squirrels can swim.

Red squirrels have four fingers on each paw, plus a vestigial thumb, and five toes. Their double-jointed ankles allow them to go down a tree headfirst.

Squirrels have an exceptionally good sense of smell. They can find buried food underneath 30cm of snow and know if a nut is rotten without opening it.

In Finland, "squirrel pelts" were used as a currency before coins were introduced. Oravannakka, or "squirrel pelt" is still used there as an expression for money.

In the original fairytale, Cinderella's slippers were made of red squirrel pelt. The French vair (fur) became verre (glass)