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Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

Description:

mix of dark brown and black. I've seen a lot of different colored squirrels in my area but never one like this, it was constantly on the move, these photos were all I could get.

Habitat:

easter N. America

Notes:

I spotted this squirrel in my yard. The first photos is zoomed in and taken with the flash, hence the eyeshine. The last 2 photos were taken through my kitchen window. I didn't want to scare it away by opening my back door. I have some trees around my house and loads of squirrels but its the first time I've seen this guy.

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16 Comments

Dan Doucette
Dan Doucette 11 years ago

Thanks Fyn. I've very lucky with spotting some cool squirrels.

Fyn  Kynd
Fyn Kynd 11 years ago

Another awesome spotting!!!

Dan Doucette
Dan Doucette 12 years ago

Thanks Keith

keithp2012
keithp2012 12 years ago

I added it for you, great find!

Dan Doucette
Dan Doucette 12 years ago

Thanks Leah, I've been offline for days as I'm traveling off the beaten track in China. Sounds like a cool mission. Can't wait to check out more of it when I get to a better computer. It's really strange, the site looks normal except (and this is a big except!) I can't see any of the photos! Hopefully this will change when I get to a bigger city. As I look at this spotting someone has kindly already added this spotting to it, thanks mystery mission adder!

Leah M
Leah M 12 years ago

You should add this to the color variation mission....it's quite a find!

HeatherMiller
HeatherMiller 12 years ago

They sure are an interesting color. Almost chocolate lab (dog) in color with a dark undercoat. Very interesting.

auntnance123
auntnance123 12 years ago

Here's another interesting link--never knew about "pocket" populations.

Dan Doucette
Dan Doucette 12 years ago

Oh okay Michael, I missed the humour in that one.
@Thanks Ashish
@Heather - There are a few subspecies of the grey squirrel and a lot of genetic variation within them. I don't think its a response to the weather as I see the blond and black squirrels all year. This particular squirrel has seemingly taken up residence in the trees around my house. I saw him again yesterday. Hopefully I can get some more photos of him.
Side note - Since I work in the gardens and grounds around the Falls, I see a lot of tourists. Many of them have never seen a black squirrel and are totally fascinated by them. They are particularly friendly too in the area and will eat out of your hand.

Ashish Nimkar
Ashish Nimkar 12 years ago

Dan... nice spotting... Love such amazing shade like a Fox for a Squirrel..!!

Ashish Nimkar
Ashish Nimkar 12 years ago

Micheal you can add all edible (to human) vegetable menu with used in menu and raw vegetable as spotting and add in mission Vegetable varities for Gardeners.

HeatherMiller
HeatherMiller 12 years ago

Dan - do you know if these black/brown varieties are that color because of winter? Or are they a subspecies of each other? Our grey squirrels down here stay grey all year - but we are a tad bit warmer in Georgia.

MichaelMorris
MichaelMorris 12 years ago

sorry dan, i was just making a joke with the food pic

Dan Doucette
Dan Doucette 12 years ago

Thanks Scott and Carolina. It does look more like a cats fur than a squirrel.

Carolina
Carolina 12 years ago

Wow the fur looks like a friend's cat!

ScottRasmussen
ScottRasmussen 12 years ago

How cool. Most of the "black" squirrels in my area show a bit of brown mottling in bright sunlight, but I've never seen anything like this.

Dan Doucette
Spotted by
Dan Doucette

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Ontario, Canada

Spotted on Oct 27, 2011
Submitted on Oct 27, 2011

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