urban species #004: Eastern Gray Squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis

Fortunately for squirrels, they eat more than nuts. Like their less-beloved relatives, the mice and rats, squirrels are quite omnivorous. In addition to the seeds of trees, they eat flowers, mushrooms, and baby birds. They are as happy snacking on pizza crusts from a trash can as they are collecting acorns.

The fact that they can eat wild foods and garbage, as well as peanuts and popcorn from city park well-wishers, means that the density of urban gray squirrel populations may be higher than in a forest. Some cities and towns love their squirrels, especially if they are unusually colored. Eastern gray squirrels have spread far and wide from their original range, and can be found on the west coast as well as in Great Britain and Italy. Like many successful urban species, when introduced outside their native range, they become invasive.