a squirrel.
Chipmunks and chipmunks belong to the same family of rodents, which also includes groundhogs and prairie dogs. There are many different species of squirrels, but they can be grouped into three main types: ground, tree, and flying. The latter two are quite distinct from ground squirrels, but ground squirrels are very similar in appearance and habits, and it could be argued that ground squirrels are simply a type of ground squirrel. The main distinguishing features are that squirrels are usually smaller and have stripes on their faces.
A red squirrel.
While squirrels are found all over the planet except in the polar regions, squirrels are limited to North America, with the exception of one species found in northeast Asia. However, they have been introduced in some other areas. In places where both animals are present, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between certain species.
Appearance
Like other rodents, these two animals have four sharp incisors, used for gnawing, and flat back teeth, used for grinding hard foods like nuts. They typically have four toes on each front foot and five on each rear foot. In areas where both are found, squirrels are smaller, typically weighing only 2 to 4 ounces (56.7 to 113.4 grams), but a young squirrel can easily be mistaken for an adult squirrel. As for the color, both are quite variable. Squirrels always have stripes, and while this is also true of many ground squirrels, they differ in that the stripes do not extend all the way to the face.
Habits and Behavior
Dried coyote urine can repel squirrels and chipmunks.
These two types of rodents tend to prefer different habitats, although there is some overlap. Squirrels are mostly found in wooded areas, where they can find trees and bushes that provide fruit, nuts, and seeds. However, ground squirrels like to live in green areas, so they are often seen in parks and on golf courses. The animals also differ in their dens. A squirrel’s burrow can be identified by the mound of dirt at its entrance, while a squirrel’s den is dirtless and is usually located at the base of a tree or bush.
Groundhogs are part of the same order of rodents as chipmunks and chipmunks.
The squirrel also has pouches inside its cheeks, which it uses to store food while foraging. Puffy cheeks can be quite conspicuous, but they are not a reliable identifying feature, as some ground squirrels have them as well. A clearer difference is that squirrels tend to keep their tails straight in the air while running, while a chipmunk runs with its tail at a horizontal angle.
Both types of animals hibernate, but they differ in the way they store food and prepare for winter. A squirrel will eat more as winter approaches to build up its body mass enough to sustain it through the long, cold months, while a chipmunk will eat food stored in its pouches as well as in and around its burrow during this period . Squirrels tend to have plenty of food reserves and may go out briefly during the winter to feed on days when conditions are not too harsh.
relationship with humans
Both animals can be useful to humans as they include insects in their diets and help keep numbers down. However, they can also be quite problematic. Squirrels, in particular, can damage gardens by digging up bulbs, eating buds and shoots, and stripping bark from trees to use as nesting material. They often prey on bird food, sometimes showing great ingenuity to get into feeders despite efforts to stop them. They may also venture into houses and sometimes build nests in lofts and attics. Squirrels tend to be less destructive, but they can eat seeds and bulbs and sometimes get into houses.
There are a number of humane options to deal with the problems caused by these animals. Entry into the home can be prevented by guarding windows and blocking any holes or gaps that may allow access to an attic or other part of the home. Rodents can also be trapped using commercially available traps, to be released in another area. Dried blood and urine from predators such as foxes and coyotes can also have a deterrent effect.