American red squirrel

Scientific name: Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Red squirrels are small with reddish-brown upperparts, white underparts, and a bushy tail. Distinctive tufted ears and a thin dark line along the flanks separate them from other squirrels; males and females are similar in appearance.

Size and weight

Weight: 0.2–0.35 kg; body length: 19–24 cm; tail length: 10–15 cm. Sexes are similarly sized.

Habitat

American red squirrels inhabit coniferous and mixed forests, particularly spruce, fir, and pine stands from sea level to subalpine zones. They require dense canopy cover and abundant seed-bearing trees.

Distribution

Found across northern North America from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the boreal forest south through the Rocky Mountains and Appalachians into the northern tier of the continental United States.

Diet

Red squirrels eat conifer seeds (spruce, fir, pine), nuts, fungi, berries, and insects; seed availability and type vary seasonally with cone production.

Behaviour

Diurnal and highly vocal with loud chirping calls; solitary and territorial year-round with aggressive defense of home ranges. Active in short bouts throughout the day with midday rest periods.

Hunting tips

Look for middens (piles of cone scales and debris) at the base of trees and scattered on logs—reliable indicators of activity. Fresh droppings and small scratches on tree bark near feeding sites mark recent use. Approach quietly from downwind during early morning or late afternoon when squirrels are most active, moving slowly through dense cover to intercept them in trees or near midden sites.

Whole weight

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

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 2 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

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