# Douglas's Squirrel (*Tamiasciurus douglasii*) Douglas's Squirrel is a lively little animal with a fluffy tail and bright eyes. They love to climb trees and gather nuts to eat. You can often see them playing in the forest! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Douglas's Squirrel](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tamiasciurus_douglasii_4435.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tamiasciurus_douglasii_4435.JPG) ## Appearance The Douglas's Squirrel has a reddish-brown back and flanks, contrasting with a buff to orange-yellow belly. A distinctive black stripe often separates these two colors along its sides. They have a noticeable lighter ring around their large, dark eyes, making them look alert. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Sciuridae - **Genus:** Tamiasciurus ## Interesting facts - Douglas's Squirrels are known for clipping pinecones from trees, creating huge "middens." - Their fluffy tails act like a cozy blanket, keeping them warm in cold weather! - They can tell different bird songs apart, listening for danger warnings! - They sometimes "bark" at intruders, making a loud, chattering alarm call! ## Special abilities - **Pinecone Power:** Douglas's Squirrel can expertly extract seeds from tough conifer cones using its strong teeth and nimble paws for food. - **Winter Hoarder:** Douglas's Squirrel has an amazing memory that helps them find the hundreds of seed caches they bury for winter survival. - **Acrobatic Navigator:** Douglas's Squirrel can leap between branches and descend trees headfirst because of its sharp claws and flexible ankles. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 16-21 cm - **Weight:** 0.15-0.3 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-7 years - **Speed:** 25 km/h - **Litter Size:** 2-8 - **Gestation:** 30-40 days ## Diet & Feeding Douglas's Squirrels mostly munch on seeds from pinecones, but also enjoy mushrooms, berries, and nuts! - **Primary Foods:** Conifer Seeds, Fungi, Berries, Nuts, Bird Eggs - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** Douglas-fir (*Pseudotsuga menziesii*) — Provides critical food (seeds) and shelter. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Hunts squirrels, especially at dawn and dusk. - **Eaten by:** [Pacific Marten](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pacific-marten) (*Martes caurina*) — A quick forest predator that hunts squirrels. - **Eats:** A Truffle (*Rhizopogon vinicolor*) — Eats fungi and helps spread their spores. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Watch squirrels from a distance and don't try to touch them. They are wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Douglas's Squirrel? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Douglas's Squirrel? 16-21 cm ### How much does Douglas's Squirrel weigh? 0.15-0.3 kg ### How long does Douglas's Squirrel live? 3-7 years ### How fast can Douglas's Squirrel move? 25 km/h ### What does Douglas's Squirrel eat? Douglas's Squirrels mostly munch on seeds from pinecones, but also enjoy mushrooms, berries, and nuts! ### Where is Douglas's Squirrel usually found? Forests ### How does Douglas's Squirrel hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Berry Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berry-botanic-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [Marymoor Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/marymoor-park) — Washington, US · Nature Reserve - [Ross Lake National Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ross-lake-national-recreation-area) — Washington, US · National Park - [Headwaters Forest Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/headwaters-forest-reserve) — California, US · Forest - [Hoh Rainforest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hoh-rainforest) — Washington, US · Nature Reserve - [Manzanita Lake Naturalist's Services Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/manzanita-lake-naturalists-services-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District [View all places to see Douglas's Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/douglass-squirrel) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Douglas's Squirrel: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/douglass-squirrel)