Overview

The eastern gray squirrel is the default squirrel of American parks and suburbs — agile, bold, and endlessly entertaining as it raids bird feeders and zigzags across roads. Native to the eastern US, it has been introduced to the UK and parts of the West Coast, where it thrives.

Watch one in autumn and you'll see the full deception routine: bury a nut, pretend to bury another while holding the real one in its mouth, all while a neighbour watches from a fence. A common discovery, but one with real character.

Habitat

Eastern gray squirrels live in deciduous and mixed woodland, parks, and leafy suburbs across the eastern and midwestern United States. They nest in tree cavities or leaf dreys and depend on oak, hickory, and walnut for autumn mast.

Countries found

Eastern Gray Squirrel in United States

Interesting facts

01
Eastern gray squirrels pretend to bury nuts to fool thieves watching them.
02
They are the same species as the grey squirrel found in UK parks — introduced there in the 1870s.
03
Black colour morphs are common in some northern US populations — not a separate species.
04
They can rotate their ankles to climb down trees head-first.
05
A squirrel's front teeth never stop growing — gnawing keeps them worn to the right length.
06
They scatter-hoard thousands of nuts each fall, remembering locations by landmark memory.