Decoding Squirrel Behavior: Territorial vs. Social

There are two very different behavior patterns used by squirrels. Do you know how to tell if you're looking at a territorial squirrel or a social squirrel?
Many locations have both territorial squirrels and social squirrels living in the same forest, but few people know how to tell them apart. This video focuses on tree squirrels with specific references to red squirrels, douglas squirrels, gray squirrels & fox squirrels.
If you'd like more squirrel facts, you may be interested in why squirrels lick trees: • Why Squirrels Lick Trees
Awaken Your Naturalist Intelligence (Audio Learning Program): nature-mentor.com/awaken-your...

[@sfcar]

It's very entertaining in the winter when the tiny ground squirrel folds its tail over the length of its body and then charges the much larger squirrels and crows when feeding.
Have you done a video on chipmunk ground and air alarm calls? I've always been fascinated by the audible tracking of raptors and predators that a healthy chipmunk network can provide

[@NatureMentor]

I haven't done a video on that, but I would love to do it once I get enough chipmunk alarm footage together. I'm super fascinated by that topic too. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@maryannmanconi6295]

Brian, thank you for your videos. I have learned so muchy from you. I live in the subburbs of North Carolina, and I am an animal lover. I feed my birds which now includes the squirrels. And I mean SQUIRRELS! I can get up to 15 squirrels at one time. This past summer I noticed that some of my gray squirrels had red coloring, strange markings (one squirrel's tail looked like a raccoon's tail with a black stripe), some brown, some grey, etc. So that is normal. Thanks for the clarification on that. I also have a bunch that come to my backyard and as long as they keep a distance, they are OK. But some times, there are battles just like your video where they spin around in circles. I feel this is a territorial behavor because on my walks, I will see squirrels crossing the street to get to my yard. They are coming from other sections of my subdivision. At least that is what I think. So thank you for helping me understand my wildlife.

[@NatureMentor]

It's certainly possible that you have territorial squirrels and social squirrels visiting your feeder. Sounds like a squirrel hotspot! Have you noticed whether the territorial ones are smaller with more reddish fur all over?

[@maryannmanconi6295]

@@NatureMentor YES!!!! I thought they were babies! And the big squirrels chase them away. And the little ones are very skidish coming around the larger ones. People think I'm crazy cuz I feed the crows and squirrels/birds. And people are a little upset with me cuz the crows drop my peanuts in their gutters (they fly up to the roofs and eat the peanuts and drop the shells in the gutters) and birdbaths. But I love them. I love seeing the young ones coming over to eat, their feathers all messed up with the new growth coming in. Someone told me it's like a bird santuary here. But with the multitude of birds come the hawks. The red tail hawks are here EVERY morning. And I even had a kestrel here too.

[@suicideistheanswer369]

All I see is cute squirrels. Thanks for the video.

[@NatureMentor]

They are very cute! Thanks for tuning in

[@jaredgellert2044]

Sweet video, thank you. Of course, living in the mid Atlantic with woods that are highly dominated by deciduous trees, I've never seen a territorial squirrel here (I did see one in Vermont). I've also never seen a red colored grey squirrel. Brian, I'm curious what you make of the chasing that they do with each other--is that play? A dominance battle? Is it same sex or mixed (I can't tell male squirrels from female squirrels). Thanks

[@NatureMentor]

Hey Jared! I think it's a real mixture of play & dominance. In mating too, the males will do a lot of chasing of females/each other to try and get to the front of the line. It's tough to sort it all out because these behaviors are all very similar. Always more to learn!

[@deandrefarmer4078]

The great squirrels are bigger and more diverse because they’re social. Makes them stronger at surviving, beefs up genes lbs same with humans but we don’t see it.

[@deandrefarmer4078]

*Grey