When you’re hiking through Idaho’s mountain trails or simply enjoying your backyard, you’re likely to encounter some of the state’s most energetic residents—squirrels.
Idaho is home to six distinct squirrel species, each adapted to different elevations and ecosystems across the state. From the vocal red squirrels defending their territory in coniferous forests to the elusive nocturnal flying squirrels gliding between trees, these small mammals play crucial roles in forest health through seed dispersal and providing food for predators.
Whether you’re spotting them in Boise’s foothills, the Sawtooth wilderness, or the Panhandle’s dense forests, learning to identify these species will deepen your appreciation for Idaho’s diverse wildlife.
You’ll discover how ground squirrels shape meadow ecosystems, why chipmunks are the smallest members of the squirrel family you’ll see, and what makes Idaho’s flying squirrels such remarkable nocturnal acrobats.
1. Red Squirrel
The Red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) is Idaho’s most vocal and widespread tree squirrel, and you’ll often hear them before you see them.
These feisty rodents are considerably smaller than fox squirrels but pack an outsized personality, with distinctive rusty-red fur on their backs and crisp white bellies that make identification straightforward.
You’ll find red squirrels primarily in coniferous forests throughout Idaho, where they’ve adapted perfectly to harvesting seeds from pine, spruce, and fir cones.
Their diet extends beyond evergreen seeds to include berries, mushrooms, bird eggs, and occasionally small vertebrates. What makes them particularly interesting is their food storage behavior—they create massive cone caches called “middens” that can accumulate over generations, sometimes forming mounds several feet high.
Pro Tip: If you hear loud chattering and scolding sounds while hiking in Idaho’s mountains, you’ve likely entered a red squirrel’s territory. These assertive animals will vocally defend their space against intruders, including humans, with an impressive array of chirps and rattles.
Red squirrels experience high mortality in their first year, with only about 20% of young surviving to adulthood. Those that make it past their first year typically live 2-3 years in the wild, though some individuals can reach 8 years. Their primary predators include bobcats, coyotes, hawks, owls, American martens, and Canadian lynxes.
Despite their small size, red squirrels are remarkably aggressive at bird feeders. They’ll chase away larger squirrel species and can squeeze through most caged feeders designed to exclude bigger animals.
Their size advantage becomes a disadvantage for anyone trying to keep them away from birdseed. These determined creatures will even chew through hard plastic containers to access stored food, though metal bins remain their match.
2. Northern Flying Squirrel
The Northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) represents one of Idaho’s most specialized and secretive mammals. These nocturnal gliders feature soft, cinnamon to light brown fur with distinctive whitish bellies and remarkably large black eyes adapted for nighttime navigation.
What sets flying squirrels apart is the patagium—a furred membrane stretching from their wrists to their ankles that allows them to glide up to 150 feet between trees.
They don’t actually fly but rather glide downward at angles, using their flat, wide tail as a rudder to steer and brake before landing. You’ll find them exclusively in mature conifer-dominated forests, particularly in northern Idaho, where they spend most of their lives in the forest canopy.
Their diet differs significantly from other Idaho squirrels. Northern flying squirrels consume fungi, lichens, tree sap, insects, and bird eggs in addition to nuts and seeds.
This diverse diet, particularly their reliance on underground fungi, makes them important dispersers of mycorrhizal spores that help tree roots absorb nutrients.
Key Insight: Northern flying squirrels are active year-round and don’t hibernate. During Idaho’s harsh winters, they rely on communal nesting, with multiple individuals huddling together in tree cavities to conserve body heat rather than storing large food caches like other squirrels.
Because they’re strictly nocturnal, you’re unlikely to spot flying squirrels during daytime hikes. The best time to observe them is at dusk or dawn near mature forests with standing dead trees that provide nesting cavities. Listen for soft chirping calls and watch for their gliding silhouettes against the evening sky.
Their populations face pressure from logging practices that remove the old-growth trees and snags they depend on for den sites. Conservation efforts in Idaho’s national forests increasingly recognize the importance of maintaining suitable habitat for these specialized gliders.
3. Columbian Ground Squirrel
The Columbian ground squirrel (Urocitellus columbianus) stands out as Idaho’s largest ground-dwelling squirrel species, easily recognized by its distinctive coloring and social behavior.
These robust rodents feature red-orange faces and bellies contrasting with tan or grayish-brown backs, plus short, somewhat flattened tails quite different from the bushy appendages of tree squirrels.
You’ll encounter Columbian ground squirrels in mountain meadows, grasslands, and subalpine zones throughout much of Idaho, particularly in the central and eastern regions.
They’re highly social animals that live in colonies, constructing elaborate underground burrow systems with multiple entrances, chambers, and tunnels that can extend several feet deep.
What makes these ground squirrels truly remarkable is their hibernation pattern. Columbian ground squirrels hibernate for approximately 8 months each year—one of the longest hibernation periods of any North American mammal. They typically enter their burrows in late July or August and don’t emerge until late April or May, spending two-thirds of their lives underground.
During their brief active season, these squirrels feed intensively on grasses, wildflowers, seeds, and occasionally insects or small vertebrates. This feeding frenzy allows them to build sufficient fat reserves to survive their extended dormancy.
Males emerge from hibernation first, followed by females, and then juveniles, with mating occurring within the first two weeks of the active period.
| Characteristic | Details |
|---|---|
| Active Season | Late April through August (4 months) |
| Hibernation Period | August through April (8 months) |
| Colony Size | Varies from small family groups to extensive networks |
| Primary Predators | Hawks, eagles, badgers, coyotes, weasels |
| Conservation Status | Stable across most of Idaho |
Columbian ground squirrels are easy to observe in places like Craters of the Moon National Monument and throughout Idaho’s mountain parks.
They’re often quite tolerant of humans and may approach picnic areas, though feeding wildlife is discouraged. Their sentinel behavior—standing upright on their hind legs to watch for predators—makes them particularly photogenic subjects for wildlife watchers.
These ground squirrels play an important ecological role by aerating soil through their burrowing activities and serving as prey for numerous predators. Their abandoned burrows also provide shelter for other small mammals, reptiles, and invertebrates, making them ecosystem engineers in meadow habitats.
4. Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel
The Golden-mantled ground squirrel (Callospermophilus lateralis) is frequently mistaken for a large chipmunk due to the prominent white stripes running along its sides. However, you can distinguish it from true chipmunks by observing that its facial markings lack stripes—a key identification feature.
These medium-sized ground squirrels display beautiful coppery-gold coloring on their heads and shoulders (the “golden mantle” of their name), with two white stripes bordered by black running down each side of their bodies. Their backs are grayish-brown between the stripes, and they possess bushier tails than typical ground squirrels, though not as full as tree squirrels.
You’ll find golden-mantled ground squirrels in coniferous and mixed forests, particularly at higher elevations from foothills to subalpine zones throughout Idaho.
They prefer areas with rocky outcrops, fallen logs, and forest openings that provide both cover and foraging opportunities. Unlike the social Columbian ground squirrels, golden-mantled ground squirrels are more solitary, though their home ranges may overlap.
Common Mistake: Many campers and hikers call these animals “chipmunks,” but true chipmunks are considerably smaller and have facial stripes. Golden-mantled ground squirrels lack any stripes on their faces or heads, which is your quickest way to tell them apart.
Their diet consists of seeds, nuts, berries, fungi, green vegetation, and insects. They’re opportunistic feeders that adapt to seasonal food availability. During summer and early fall, they gather food to store in their burrows and build fat reserves for hibernation, which typically lasts from September or October through April or May.
Golden-mantled ground squirrels are common sights at campgrounds throughout Idaho’s national forests and parks. They’ve become habituated to human presence in many recreational areas and may approach picnic tables or campsites seeking food. While they’re entertaining to watch, feeding them disrupts their natural foraging behavior and can lead to dependency on human food sources.
These ground squirrels serve important ecosystem functions by dispersing seeds and fungi spores, creating burrows that improve soil drainage, and providing prey for predators including hawks, foxes, and snakes. Their foraging activities also help control insect populations and contribute to plant community dynamics in montane forests.
5. Uinta Ground Squirrel
The Uinta ground squirrel (Urocitellus armatus) occupies the drier, lower-elevation grasslands and sagebrush habitats of southeastern Idaho. These medium-sized ground squirrels have relatively uniform coloring—dappled grayish-brown fur with subtle buff or cinnamon tones and no distinctive striping pattern.
You’ll recognize Uinta ground squirrels by their short tails (roughly half the length of their body), relatively small ears, and overall compact build adapted for burrowing. Their coloration provides excellent camouflage against the sage-covered soils and dried grasses of their habitat, making them blend remarkably well with their surroundings.
These ground squirrels inhabit grasslands, meadows, and sagebrush-dominated areas typically between 4,000 and 8,000 feet elevation. They prefer well-drained soils suitable for burrow construction and areas with sufficient vegetation for food. In Idaho, you’ll find them primarily in the eastern counties, where their range overlaps with agricultural lands and rangelands.
Uinta ground squirrels follow a hibernation schedule similar to other ground squirrels, spending approximately 7-8 months underground from late summer through spring. Adults typically enter hibernation first, followed by juveniles who need additional time to build sufficient fat reserves. Their active season runs from roughly March through August, depending on elevation and weather conditions.
During their active months, Uinta ground squirrels feed primarily on green vegetation, grasses, forbs, seeds, and occasionally insects. They’re diurnal and most active during morning and late afternoon hours, retreating to their burrows during the hottest part of summer days.
Important Note: In agricultural areas of Idaho, Uinta ground squirrels sometimes come into conflict with ranchers and farmers. Their burrow systems can pose hazards to livestock and farm equipment, and they may consume crops or stored grain. However, they also provide important ecosystem services by aerating soil and serving as prey for hawks, eagles, badgers, and other predators.
Unlike their more social cousins, Uinta ground squirrels tend toward less colonial behavior, though multiple individuals may inhabit suitable habitat areas. Males typically have larger home ranges than females, particularly during the breeding season in early spring shortly after emergence from hibernation.
These ground squirrels have adapted well to human-modified landscapes in parts of their range, inhabiting roadsides, pastures, and even golf courses where suitable foraging and burrowing conditions exist.
Their population status remains stable across most of their Idaho range, though habitat loss to development and intensive agriculture affects some local populations.
6. Least Chipmunk
The Least chipmunk (Neotamias minimus) lives up to its name as North America’s smallest chipmunk species and one of Idaho’s tiniest squirrel family members. These diminutive rodents typically weigh less than two ounces and measure just 7-9 inches total length, including their moderately bushy tail.
You’ll identify least chipmunks by their distinctive facial and body stripes—five dark brown to black stripes alternating with light grayish or white stripes running from their nose along their back to the base of their tail.
Their faces display three dark and two light stripes, with the dark stripe running through each eye being particularly noticeable. Their overall coloring varies from grayish to yellowish-brown depending on the subspecies and habitat.
These chipmunks occupy an impressive range of habitats across Idaho, from sagebrush steppes and grasslands to coniferous forests at elevations from lowlands up to treeline.
They’re highly adaptable and can thrive in diverse conditions, including rocky areas, forest edges, and even disturbed habitats near human development. This habitat flexibility makes them one of Idaho’s most widespread small mammals.
Least chipmunks are primarily ground-dwelling but readily climb trees and shrubs when foraging or escaping predators. They’re diurnal and most active during morning and evening hours, though you might spot them throughout the day in cooler weather.
Their diet includes seeds, nuts, berries, fungi, green vegetation, flowers, and insects, which they gather in their expandable cheek pouches for transport to their burrow systems.
Pro Tip: Watch for least chipmunks perched on rocks or logs making their distinctive high-pitched “chip” calls—rapid, bird-like chirps that serve as alarm signals. These vocalizations help you locate them even when they’re partially hidden in vegetation or rock crevices.
Unlike ground squirrels, least chipmunks don’t enter true hibernation but instead experience periods of torpor during winter. They cache food in their underground burrows and periodically wake to feed on stored seeds and nuts throughout the cold months.
This strategy requires less dramatic fat accumulation than hibernation and allows them to respond to occasional warm winter days.
Their burrow systems are typically less elaborate than those of ground squirrels, consisting of tunnels with food storage chambers and nesting areas. Least chipmunks are solitary and territorial, defending their home ranges from other chipmunks through vocalizations and chasing behaviors.
These tiny squirrels face predation from an extensive list of predators including hawks, owls, weasels, foxes, snakes, and even domestic cats. Their small size makes them vulnerable, but their alertness, speed, and proximity to burrow entrances provide defense.
They play important roles in ecosystems by dispersing seeds, consuming insects, and serving as prey for numerous predators.
Idaho’s six squirrel species demonstrate remarkable adaptations to the state’s diverse landscapes, from alpine meadows to sagebrush plains.
Each species fills a unique ecological niche—red squirrels manage conifer seed dispersal in mountain forests, flying squirrels spread essential fungi through forest canopies, ground squirrels engineer meadow ecosystems through their extensive burrowing, and chipmunks thrive across elevation gradients by adapting their behaviors and diets.
Understanding these differences helps you appreciate the complexity of Idaho’s wildlife and the importance of conserving varied habitats across the state. Next time you encounter one of these energetic mammals, you’ll know exactly which species you’re observing and the vital role it plays in Idaho’s ecosystems.
