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Douglas squirrel

Scientific name: Tamiasciurus douglasii

Field notes

Appearance

Small squirrel with reddish-brown to dark brown upperparts, white or pale underparts, and a distinctive bushy tail. Ears are tufted in winter, and a dark line along the flank separates dorsal and ventral coloration; males and females are similar in appearance.

Size and weight

Body length 20–23 cm; weight 70–150 g (males typically slightly heavier than females).

Habitat

Douglas squirrels inhabit coniferous and mixed forests from sea level to high elevation (up to 3,000 m), preferring Douglas fir, spruce, and pine stands with dense canopy cover. They require mature forest with substantial seed-bearing trees and are occasionally found in oak woodlands.

Distribution

Endemic to the Pacific coast from British Columbia south to Baja California, restricted to coniferous forest zones from the Cascade Range and Sierra Nevada westward to coastal ranges.

Diet

Primary diet consists of conifer seeds (Douglas fir, spruce, pine), supplemented by fungi, berries, insects, and tree bark; seasonal availability drives food selection.

Behaviour

Diurnal and highly vocal, with loud chattering calls used for territorial and alarm signaling. Solitary and territorial year-round; active foragers that cache food extensively and remain active throughout winter.

Hunting tips

Look for fresh cone-stripped debris and scattered seed hulls on the forest floor beneath fruiting conifers—primary feeding sign. Approach quietly through dense cover during early morning or late afternoon when squirrels are most active in the canopy; use tree trunks for cover and scan branch tips where they forage. Listen for characteristic loud chatter to pinpoint location and movement patterns.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 1 country in Huntify.

Names in other languages

Current language: en

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.