Did you know that East Texas is home to six distinct squirrel species, each with unique behaviors and habitats? Whether you’re hiking through towering pine forests or relaxing in your backyard, understanding these fascinating rodents can transform your outdoor experience.
You’ll discover how to identify each species, where they prefer to live, and what makes them special to the East Texas ecosystem.
Eastern Gray Squirrel
The Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is the most common squirrel you’ll encounter throughout East Texas forests and neighborhoods. These adaptable rodents have thrived alongside human development, making them a familiar sight in both urban parks and rural woodlands.
What They Look Like
You’ll recognize Eastern gray squirrels by their predominantly gray fur with white undersides and bushy tails that often appear silver-tipped. They typically measure 9-12 inches in body length with tails adding another 7-10 inches. While gray is their standard coloration, you might occasionally spot black or brownish color variations within the same population.
Where to Find Them
Eastern gray squirrels prefer hardwood forests with abundant oak and hickory trees, though they’ve adapted remarkably well to suburban environments.
You’ll find them most active during early morning and late afternoon hours, foraging on the ground or leaping between tree branches. These squirrels build spherical leaf nests called dreys in tree forks, or they’ll claim tree cavities when available.
Pro Tip: Watch for Eastern gray squirrels burying acorns in your yard during fall months—they’re creating food caches for winter, though they’ll only recover about 75% of what they hide. The forgotten acorns often grow into new oak trees.
Fox Squirrel
Fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) reign as the largest tree squirrels in East Texas, often called “cat squirrels” by locals due to their impressive size. These charismatic rodents bring vibrant colors to the forest canopy and ground level alike.
Identification Features
You’ll immediately notice the fox squirrel’s substantial build—they can weigh up to 3 pounds and measure 20-30 inches from nose to tail tip.
Their coloring varies considerably across East Texas, ranging from rusty orange and buff to gray and black, often with orange or yellow highlights on their ears, feet, and bellies. The underside of their tail typically displays a rusty-orange hue that distinguishes them from gray squirrels.
Habitat Preferences
Fox squirrels thrive in open pine and mixed pine-hardwood forests where they can spot predators more easily than in dense woods. You’ll often see them foraging on the ground for extended periods, moving with a distinctive loping gait. Unlike their gray cousins, fox squirrels prefer areas with more space between trees and less understory vegetation.
These larger squirrels spend more time on the ground than other tree squirrels, making them more vulnerable to predators but also easier for you to observe. They’re particularly fond of pine seeds, acorns, pecans, and hickory nuts, which they crack open with powerful jaws.
Common Mistake: Don’t assume all large squirrels are fox squirrels. Some Eastern gray squirrels grow quite large, but fox squirrels typically show more orange coloration and have blockier heads with shorter, broader faces.
Southern Flying Squirrel
Southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans) are East Texas’s most secretive squirrel species, active exclusively at night when most other squirrels are sleeping. These remarkable creatures don’t actually fly—they glide through the darkness using specialized membranes.
Physical Characteristics
You’ll find Southern flying squirrels surprisingly small, measuring only 8-10 inches total length including their flattened tail. Their soft, silky fur appears gray-brown on top with white bellies, and their large, dark eyes are perfectly adapted for nocturnal vision. The defining feature is their patagium—loose skin stretching from wrist to ankle on each side that becomes visible when they spread their legs to glide.
Nocturnal Lifestyle and Habitat
Because these squirrels emerge only after sunset, spotting them requires patience and the right approach. You’ll have your best chances near mature hardwood trees with natural cavities, particularly oaks and hickories.
Southern flying squirrels can glide up to 150 feet between trees, steering with their tail and limbs before landing with an upward swoop.
Listen for high-pitched chirps and bird-like calls during evening hours—these vocalizations often reveal their presence before you see them.
Flying squirrels are highly social, with multiple individuals sometimes sharing winter den sites for warmth. They feed on nuts, acorns, insects, bird eggs, and fungi, often visiting bird feeders under cover of darkness.
Best Viewing Techniques
| Method | Success Rate | Best Timing | Equipment Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red light observation | High | 1-2 hours after sunset | Red flashlight or headlamp |
| Motion-activated cameras | Very High | All night | Trail camera with night vision |
| Listening near cavities | Moderate | Dusk and dawn | Sensitive hearing or recorder |
| Baited feeding stations | High | Throughout night | Platform feeder with nuts |
Key Insight: Flying squirrels are far more common than most people realize—their nocturnal habits simply keep them hidden. If you have mature trees with cavities on your property, you almost certainly have flying squirrels as neighbors.
Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel
The thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) breaks the tree-dwelling pattern of its cousins, living its entire life at ground level. You’ll find this species primarily in the western portions of East Texas where prairies meet woodlands.
Distinctive Appearance
You can’t mistake this squirrel for any other species once you see its unique pattern. As the name suggests, thirteen alternating light and dark stripes run lengthwise along their back, with the light stripes containing a series of square-shaped spots.
This creates a complex pattern unlike any other Texas rodent. They measure 7-12 inches including their relatively short, less bushy tail.
Ground-Dwelling Behavior
Unlike tree squirrels, thirteen-lined ground squirrels excavate elaborate burrow systems in open grasslands and prairies. You’ll spot them standing upright like sentinels near their burrow entrances, watching for hawks and other predators. When alarmed, they emit sharp whistles before diving underground.
These diurnal squirrels emerge during morning and afternoon hours to forage for seeds, insects, and vegetation. From late September through March, they hibernate in sealed underground chambers, surviving on stored body fat accumulated during summer months.
- Burrow entrance identification – Look for small holes approximately 2 inches in diameter in open areas with short grass
- Feeding sign recognition – Watch for disturbed soil where they’ve dug for seeds or tubers
- Peak activity windows – Best viewing occurs mid-morning on warm, sunny days when they’re most active
- Winter preparation – Observe them fattening up during August and September before hibernation
Important Note: Thirteen-lined ground squirrels are far less common in the heavily forested eastern portions of East Texas. Your best chances for observation are in the western transitional zones where grasslands persist.
Texas Antelope Squirrel
The Texas antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus interpres) is extremely rare in East Texas, with the region representing the far eastern edge of its typical range. These desert-adapted ground squirrels occasionally appear in the driest western portions of the area.
Identifying Features
You’ll recognize this small ground squirrel by the single white stripe running along each side from shoulder to hip, contrasting with its grayish-brown back.
Unlike tree squirrels, they carry their tail curled over their back, similar to an antelope’s flag (hence the name). They measure just 8-9 inches total length, making them one of the smallest squirrel species you might encounter.
Habitat and Behavior Patterns
Texas antelope squirrels require open, arid environments with sparse vegetation and rocky or sandy soils. In East Texas, you’ll only find them in the westernmost transition zones where rainfall decreases and vegetation becomes more sparse.
They’re active year-round without hibernating, even during the hottest summer months when other desert rodents rest.
These squirrels sprint from bush to bush with their tails held high, feeding on seeds, insects, and green vegetation. They use their tail as a parasol, holding it over their back to create shade and reflect sunlight—a clever adaptation for desert heat that you might observe even in East Texas during summer.
Rarity Factors in East Texas:
- Habitat requirements not met in most of region
- Eastern forests too dense and humid for species
- Occasional individuals may wander from western ranges
- Most reliable sightings occur in drier transitional grasslands
Eastern Chipmunk
Eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus) represent the smallest members of the squirrel family you’ll occasionally spot in the wooded areas of East Texas. While more common in the northeastern United States, small populations exist in suitable habitats throughout the region.
Physical Description
You’ll immediately recognize Eastern chipmunks by their five dark brown stripes alternating with lighter stripes running from head to tail along their reddish-brown back.
Unlike ground squirrels, chipmunks have stripes extending across their face through the eye to the nose. They measure only 5-6 inches in body length with proportionally shorter tails, and they typically weigh less than 5 ounces.
Behavioral Characteristics and Habitat
Eastern chipmunks prefer dense, deciduous forests with abundant ground cover including fallen logs, brush piles, and rocky areas. You’ll hear them before seeing them—they produce a distinctive chip-chip-chip call that accelerates when they’re alarmed.
These solitary rodents maintain territories centered around extensive burrow systems with multiple entrances hidden beneath vegetation or logs.
Watch for chipmunks filling their expandable cheek pouches with seeds, nuts, and berries before scurrying back to their burrows. Unlike tree squirrels that scatter-cache food items individually, chipmunks hoard food in underground chambers, accumulating supplies that can exceed a gallon in volume.
Seasonal Activity Patterns:
- Spring emergence – April-May after winter dormancy
- Peak activity – Summer months with intense food gathering
- Fall preparation – September-October stockpiling for winter
- Winter dormancy – December-March spent mostly underground in torpor
Pro Tip: If you want to attract chipmunks to your property for observation, create brush piles or rock piles in wooded areas. These provide shelter and encourage chipmunk establishment, though they’re naturally uncommon in most of East Texas.
Squirrel Species Comparison
| Species | Size | Habitat | Activity | Abundance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Gray Squirrel | Medium (9-12″) | Forests, suburbs | Diurnal | Very Common |
| Fox Squirrel | Large (20-30″) | Open woods, pine forests | Diurnal | Common |
| Southern Flying Squirrel | Small (8-10″) | Mature hardwoods | Nocturnal | Common but unseen |
| Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel | Medium (7-12″) | Prairies, grasslands | Diurnal | Uncommon |
| Texas Antelope Squirrel | Small (8-9″) | Arid scrublands | Diurnal | Rare |
| Eastern Chipmunk | Small (5-6″) | Dense deciduous forests | Diurnal | Occasional |
Understanding East Texas Squirrels
Each of these six squirrel species has carved out its own niche within East Texas’s diverse ecosystems. The most common species you’ll encounter—Eastern gray and fox squirrels—have adapted successfully to human presence and provide countless opportunities for wildlife observation.
Southern flying squirrels remain hidden in plain sight, active only when darkness falls. Ground squirrels and chipmunks require specific habitat conditions that limit their distribution across the region.
The incredible diversity of squirrels in East Texas reflects the area’s position as a biological crossroads where eastern forests, southern pine woods, and western prairies converge.
By learning to identify these species and understanding their habits, you’ll gain deeper appreciation for the complex wildlife community thriving in your local forests and yards.
Next time you’re outdoors in East Texas, take a moment to observe the squirrels around you. Notice their behavior, coloration, and habitat preferences.
You might discover that what you assumed was a single “tree squirrel” species is actually a diverse community of specialized rodents, each playing its unique role in the ecosystem.
