# Eastern Chipmunk (*Tamias striatus*) The Eastern Chipmunk is a small, striped animal that loves to scurry around looking for food. They have big cheeks to store their snacks and are often seen in gardens and parks. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 245 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Eastern Chipmunk](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Chipmunk_with_stuffed_cheeks_in_Prospect_Park_%2805980%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chipmunk_with_stuffed_cheeks_in_Prospect_Park_%2805980%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Eastern Chipmunk is a small, striped rodent with reddish-brown fur, a pale belly, and distinctive dark and light stripes running down its back. It has two white stripes and a dark stripe on each side of its face. Its bushy tail is shorter than its body. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Sciuridae - **Genus:** Tamias ## Interesting facts - A chipmunk's heart can beat over 350 times a minute when it's excited or scared! - Baby chipmunks are born blind and hairless, completely dependent on their mother for weeks! - Chipmunks collect hundreds of nuts each year for winter, but often forget where they buried them! - They build separate 'bathroom' tunnels in their burrows to keep their living areas clean! ## Special abilities - **Food Stasher:** Eastern Chipmunks have expandable cheek pouches that help them carry large amounts of food back to their burrows to store. - **Burrow Architect:** Eastern Chipmunks can dig intricate underground burrows with multiple tunnels and chambers to store food and sleep safely. - **Winter Napper:** Eastern Chipmunks can enter a state of torpor (light hibernation) in winter, waking frequently to snack on stored food. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 18-26 cm - **Weight:** 0.05-0.12 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-3 years - **Speed:** 25 km/h - **Litter Size:** 2-8 - **Gestation:** 31-35 days ## Diet & Feeding A tiny omnivore, they feast on seeds, nuts, fruits, and insects, storing food for later. - **Primary Foods:** Seeds, Nuts, Berries, Fungi, Insects - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — A common aerial predator in their habitat. - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — A swift ground predator hunting them in forests. - **Depends on:** Red Oak (*Quercus rubra*) — Relies on acorns from oak trees for a major food source. - **Depends on:** [American Beech](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-beech) (*Fagus grandifolia*) — Feeds on the nutritious nuts produced by beech trees. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Striped](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/striped): Marked with parallel bands or lines of color. - [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. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [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. - [Hibernating](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/hibernating): Hibernating animals enter a state of metabolic depression during cold periods or when food is scarce, characterized by reduced body temperature and activity. - [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 from a distance and don't try to touch or catch chipmunks, as they can be scared easily. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Eastern Chipmunk? 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 Eastern Chipmunk? 18-26 cm ### How much does Eastern Chipmunk weigh? 0.05-0.12 kg ### How long does Eastern Chipmunk live? 2-3 years ### How fast can Eastern Chipmunk move? 25 km/h ### What does Eastern Chipmunk eat? A tiny omnivore, they feast on seeds, nuts, fruits, and insects, storing food for later. ### Where is Eastern Chipmunk usually found? Forests ### How does Eastern Chipmunk hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Albany Pine Bush](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albany-pine-bush) — New York, US · Nature Reserve - [Ambler Heights Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ambler-heights-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District - [Arden Park–East Boston Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arden-park-east-boston-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Arnold Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arnold-arboretum) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden - [Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arrowmont-school-of-arts-and-crafts) — Tennessee, US · Campus - [Audubon Place Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/audubon-place-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District [View all places to see Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/eastern-chipmunk) ## 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*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) - [Brown Rat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-rat) (*Rattus norvegicus*) --- Source: [Eastern Chipmunk: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk)