American Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
This is a small, reddish-brown tree squirrel. It may have a darker stripe along its sides in the summer, but this is less distinct in winter. The underside is typically w…
How to identify
This is a small, reddish-brown tree squirrel. It may have a darker stripe along its sides in the summer, but this is less distinct in winter. The underside is typically whitish. The tail is relatively short and bushy.
Range
T. hudsonicus has a wide distribution across North America, including much of Canada, Alaska, and parts of the northern and western United States.
Habitat
It inhabits a variety of coniferous and mixed coniferous forests.
Similar species
T. hudsonicus can be confused with Tamiasciurus douglasii in the Pacific Northwest, but T. douglasii is generally darker and has a more orange-reddish underside. It also overlaps with Tamiasciurus fremonti, which is typically more grayish-brown and has a more defined lateral stripe.
Name and etymology
Genus
Tamiasciurus
Greek for storekeeper (tamias) shadow (skia) tail (oura)
Origin
Sources
- Palmer, Index Generum Mammalium (1904) ↗
Palmer, T. S. 1904. Index Generum Mammalium: a list of the genera and families of mammals. North American Fauna 23. Government Printing Office, Washington. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.39809
Species epithet
hudsonicus
Latin for from Hudson referencing Hudson Bay
Origin
Sources
- Wikipedia: Tamiasciurus hudsonicus ↗
“Tamiasciurus hudsonicus.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_red_squirrel
Explore more names in the etymology index.
At a glance
Range
T. hudsonicus has a wide distribution across North America, including much of Canada, Alaska, and parts of the northern and w…
Habitat
It inhabits a variety of coniferous and mixed coniferous forests.
Guide
Mammals of North America
Range map
Approximate range. © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap