Fox squirrels are the largest tree
squirrel in North America and can weigh a little over two
pounds with some having a dark almost black coat. The
color of their coats can vary from brown to almost black.
The eastern gray
squirrel tends to be larger and
stronger than other squirrels, and construct
their dens on large tree branches and hollow
tree trunks. Sometimes they use abandoned
bird nests, and they line their dens with
moss, dried grass and feathers.
Southern
flying
squirrels
have also been seen
around the Ozarks. These
nocturnal little furry friends
don't actually fly, they glide
through the air using a flap
of skin, called a patagium,
between their front and back
legs. They are about the size of a
chipmunk, and they store food like
other squirrels, especially acorns.
Flying squirrels also eat insects,
buds, mushrooms, mycorrhizal
fungi, carrion, bird eggs and
nestlings and flowers.
• A group of squirrels is
called a Scurry.
• In Greek, the word
squirrel means shadow
tail.
• There are more than
200 squirrel species
around the world.
• Squirrels can find food
buried beneath a foot of
snow.
• Squirrels are born blind.
• Squirrels live on every
continent, with the
exception of Antarctica
and Australia.
A newborn squirrel is
about an inch long.
Awwwwww!
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Of f icialKidsMag.com • APRIL 2020 • 17
