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Expedition 🇺🇸 United States

Eastern Gray Squirrel in United States

The backyard plotter — burying nuts in autumn and faking burials to fool thieves watching from the trees.

Eastern Gray Squirrel

The species

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.

Habitat in United States

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.

Where to spot one

  • Central Park

    New York City

    Urban ponds for mallards, pigeons on the paths, and sparrows in every shrub — a compact starter loop in Manhattan.

  • Golden Gate Park

    San Francisco

    Lakes, meadows, and tree cover where common birds and park wildlife turn an afternoon stroll into a discovery session.

  • Suburban Park Systems

    Nationwide

    Local green spaces across the US — pond edges, playground perimeters, and dog-walking trails where the everyday species gather.

  • Neighbourhood Streets

    Nationwide

    Front gardens, fence lines, and café patios — where house cats watch from walls and sparrows squabble over crumbs.

Conservation status

LC — Least Concern

Eastern gray squirrels are Least Concern and abundant across eastern North America. In the UK they are invasive competitors to native red squirrels.

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