The Red Squirrel: A Short Guide to Its Behavior and Ecology

The red squirrel scampers about the woods within a day's driving time of many Americans. For more than a century it has charmed and entertained writers and travelers. Even residents of areas with red squirrels often find delight in watching them. Now red squirrels have a book to showcase the behavior and ecology that make them so special. The author assumes that readers have no special knowledge or education in ecology or animal behavior. The author makes it easy and enjoyable to get to know this fascinating animal. The book's nine chapters cover the gamut of squirrel behavior and ecology. Information for all chapters comes from the author's observations and from more than one hundred research papers in academic journals. The first chapter explains such basics as the evolution of squirrels, why a squirrel has darker fur on its back and lighter fur on its belly, how well a squirrel sees and hears, and how a squirrel can so easily climb up and down trees. The next three chapters describe how squirrels move on the ground and in the trees, why squirrels are so noisy, and what squirrels eat. These chapters focus on the behavior of the animals more than their ecology. The fifth chapter covers their reproduction from mating to the young becoming independent of all parental care. This chapter highlights their unusual system of reproduction that breaks many of the rules that generally govern reproduction. Chapters six through nine switch to ecology. They describe territory, habitat, and squirrels' impact upon the dynamics of the entire forest. Chapter nine explores how squirrels may avoid or encounter death from a predator. By the end of the book, you will want to go outdoors and listen for the chattering and scolding of one of North America's most engaging animals: the red squirrel.