Squirrel (family Sciuridae)

Mammal Rodent Adaptable

Overview

Squirrels are small to medium-sized rodents of the family Sciuridae, one of the most familiar and widespread groups of mammals. The family is far broader than the tree squirrels most people picture: it also includes ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots, prairie dogs, and flying squirrels.

The animal shown here is the Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), a classic tree squirrel, used as a reference for this family-level overview. Squirrels are known for agility, sharp senses, and a strong habit of caching food.

Conservation note: the squirrel family contains many common, widespread species as well as some with restricted ranges or local declines. Because status varies so much from species to species, verify any specific conservation claim at iucnredlist.org.

Major Squirrel Groups

Classification

Squirrels are rodents (order Rodentia), the largest order of mammals. Within Sciuridae, classification into subfamilies and many genera reflects the family's great diversity across the world.

Habitat & Range

Squirrels occur across most of the world, from northern forests to tropical woodland, grassland, mountains, and urban parks and gardens. They are not native to Australia or Antarctica. Tree squirrels favour wooded habitat, ground squirrels and prairie dogs open country, and flying squirrels mature forest.

Diet & Caching

Most squirrels eat a plant-based diet of nuts, seeds, fruit, buds, and fungi, with some species taking insects or other foods opportunistically. Tree squirrels are famous for caching — hiding food in many small stores or a central larder for later use. Because not every cache is recovered, squirrels play a role in dispersing and planting tree seeds.

Behavior & Social Life

Behaviour varies widely across the family. Many tree squirrels are largely solitary and active by day, while marmots and prairie dogs live in social colonies with complex burrow systems and alarm calls. Squirrels use sharp vision, agile movement, and a bushy tail for balance, signalling, and warmth.

Appearance & Recognition

Tree squirrels are recognised by a slender body, prominent bushy tail, and quick, darting movements through trees. Coat colour varies by species and region — the red squirrel ranges from rust-red to dark brown, sometimes with ear tufts in winter. Ground-dwelling relatives tend to be stockier, and flying squirrels have a distinctive gliding membrane.

Human Interaction

Squirrels are among the wild mammals people encounter most often, especially in towns and cities where several species thrive. Interactions range from enjoyment of urban wildlife to management issues where introduced squirrels affect native species — as with the introduced eastern gray squirrel and the native red squirrel in parts of Europe.

More photos of the squirrel