# Humboldt's Flying Squirrel (*Glaucomys oregonensis*) Humboldt's Flying Squirrel is a cute, fluffy animal that glides through the trees! They have big eyes and soft fur, and they love to eat nuts and fruits. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Humboldt's Flying Squirrel](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Glaucomys_oregonensis2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Barbogast, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Glaucomys_oregonensis2.jpg) ## Appearance The Humboldt's Flying Squirrel has soft, dense fur that is reddish-brown to dark brown on its back and a creamy white on its belly. It possesses large, dark eyes for excellent night vision and a distinctive, furry patagium extending from wrist to ankle, enabling its amazing glides. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Sciuridae - **Genus:** Glaucomys ## Interesting facts - Did you know they can turn their head almost 180 degrees backwards? Wow! - Their bushy tail acts like a rudder, helping them steer precisely during glides! - These squirrels can communicate using high-pitched chirps and squeaks in the dark. - They build cozy nests called 'dreys' inside tree holes for sleeping and raising babies. ## Special abilities - **Glide Master:** Humboldt's Flying Squirrel can effortlessly glide between trees because of a furry skin membrane (patagium) that acts like a parachute. - **Night Vision:** Humboldt's Flying Squirrel has huge, dark eyes that help them see clearly in the dark, making it easy to find food and avoid predators at night. - **Silent Mover:** Humboldt's Flying Squirrel can move almost silently thanks to soft fur and padded feet, which helps them sneak up on insects or avoid being heard. - **Winter Hoarder:** Humboldt's Flying Squirrel has a talent for storing extra food in tree cavities, which helps them survive when food is scarce in colder months. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 14-17 cm - **Weight:** 0.075-0.12 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-5 years - **Speed:** 20 km/h - **Litter Size:** 2-5 - **Gestation:** 29-32 days ## Diet & Feeding These nocturnal nibblers enjoy a varied menu of fungi, nuts, seeds, and even a few insects! - **Primary Foods:** fungi, lichens, nuts, seeds, berries, insects - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — A common night predator of the flying squirrel. - **Eats:** Orange-brown Tuber (*Rhizopogon vinicolor*) — Helps spread the spores of this underground fungus. - **Eaten by:** [American Marten](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-marten) (*Martes americana*) — A swift, agile predator that can pursue them in trees. - **Depends on:** Ponderosa Pine (*Pinus ponderosa*) — Relies on its seeds for food and tree cavities for shelter. ## 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. - [Gliding](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/gliding): Gliding animals move through the air by launching themselves and maintaining flight with specialized body structures, without flapping wings. - [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. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a squirrel, watch it from a distance and don't try to touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Humboldt's Flying 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 Humboldt's Flying Squirrel? 14-17 cm ### How much does Humboldt's Flying Squirrel weigh? 0.075-0.12 kg ### How long does Humboldt's Flying Squirrel live? 3-5 years ### How fast can Humboldt's Flying Squirrel move? 20 km/h ### What does Humboldt's Flying Squirrel eat? These nocturnal nibblers enjoy a varied menu of fungi, nuts, seeds, and even a few insects! ### Where is Humboldt's Flying Squirrel usually found? Forests ### How does Humboldt's Flying Squirrel hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Coloma](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/coloma) — California, US · Neighborhood ## 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: [Humboldt's Flying Squirrel: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/humboldts-flying-squirrel)