Flying Squirrel:
Compared to Gray and Fox Squirrels, Flying
Squirrels are little guys sort of like chipmunks. Their coloring is
grayish to brownish on the back, black around the flying membrane
border, and white on their belly. The flying membrane is a loose
fold of skin that extends from the outside of the wrist on the front
leg, to the ankle on the back leg, on both sides. They have large,
black eyes, a short nose, broad flat tail and prominent ears. Their
lifespan is around 5 to 6 years in the wild.
Flying Squirrels don't "fly" like birds, rather they "glide" through
the air, usually from some high perch to another tree or the ground.
They can control their glide to maneuver around branches and other
obstacles, landing softly on their target. They are clean and
sociable animals (except when Mom has a litter of babies to
protect), and are active throughout the year, though they may stay
in their nests for a few days at a time during extreme cold. They
are nocturnal and forage throughout the night. We humans rarely see
them, but on a quiet night in the woods, we may hear them chirping
and gliding through the trees.
Food Preferences:
Primarily vegans, they prefer hickory nuts and
acorns, seeds, corn,
fruits, berries, mushrooms, maple tree blossoms and peanut butter.
Moths, beetles and other insects and larvae are also consumed, and
if available, some meat from animal carcasses.
Geographic Range:
South of Maine throughout the East and South -
mostly east of the Great Plains states and also in forested areas in
throughout Mexico.
Enemies:
Pet cats, bobcats, raccoons, owls, hawks, some
tree-climbing snakes, mites, fleas. They are fragile and have been
known to die of shock after capture.
Value to Nature:
Feeding on tree buds may help stimulate tree
growth. Flying Squirrels
eat wood-eating insects, and burying nuts and seeds help regenerate
the forests.
