RED SQUIRREL
( tamiasciurus hudsonicus)Habitat: Northern and mountain forests. Head - Body 7-1/2 - 8-1/2"; Tail 4 - 6" Rusty red above, whitish below, they are smaller than the gray sqauirrel and their tail is less bushy. Considered noisy rodents, the red squirrel is especially active just after sunrise and just before sunset. In the summer they spend much of their time cutting cones from pines and spruces, carrying them to caches near logs, under trees, or in a burrow. The seeds in the cones will serve as food during the coming winter. They are also able to eat certain mushrooms that are deadly to man. Their diversified diet also inclues buds, sap, bird eggs and nestlings. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GRAY SQUIRREL
(sciurus carolinensis)Habitat: Broad-leaved forests - parks - suburbs Length 8 - 11"; Tail: 8-10" Usually gray on back and sidesk, whitish below, although many northern ones are all black. They have a large bushy tail. Gray Squirrels breed noisily twice a year with lots of fighting and chasing their competition. Late winter or spring litters are usually born in tree hollows, and the summer ones are sometimes born in leafy nests out along the branches of trees. The males don't take care of the young and a litter averages 3 young ones. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FLYING SQUIRREL
Photo courtesy of a. freeman(glaucomys volans)Habitat: Broad-leaved and mixed forests Head - Body 5-1/2 - 6"; Tail 3-1/2 - 5" The flying squirrel is grayish brown on the back with white below - Folds of skin between the front and back legs They can't truly fly, they glide downward, using wide flaps of skin along their sides to help slow their descent. To become airborne, this mammal leaps and spreads it's legs to control the glide. It moves its legs and tail as a rudder. Unlike the other squirrels, they are nocturnal. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - EASTERN CHIPMUNK
Photo courtesy of Gilles Gonthier(tamias striatus)Habitat: Forests -brushy areas - gardens Head - Body 5-1/2 - 6-1/2"; Tail 3 - 4-1/2" Light brown with stripes on head, sides and back...back stripes extend only to the rump. Chipmunks are ground-dwelling squirrels. They spend most of their lives at or below the surface although they also climb trees. Their extensive burrows are up to 12 feet long and may include a storage chamber, sleeping room, dump and latrine along with several concealed entrances. their food pantry holds up to half a bushel of nuts and other foods which they carry in their cheek pouches. They only partially hibernate, waking up long enough to feed. The females give birth in spring or midsummer producing litters of two to eight young. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WOODCHUCK - GROUNDHOG(marmota monax)Habitat: Open Forests - forest edges - rocky areas - roadsides Head - Body 14 - 20"; Tail 4-1/2 - 6-1/2" Chunky body, short legs and a small bushy tail Contrary to popular belief, the groundhog (woodchuck) doesn't emerge from its burrow to look for its shadow. They hibernate through the winter in a burrow that consists of an extensive system of tunnels, chambers and multiple entrances until late winter. Soon after emerging, mating takes place and the young are born four weeks later. Their favorite cuisine is clover, alfalfa and other plants. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SNOWSHOE HARE
(lepus americanus)Habitat: Northern and alpine forests - swamps - brushy areas Head - Body 15 - 18-1/2"; Tail- 2" Dark brown color, white in winter, large hind feet Twice a year the Snowshoe Hare changes color (also called the Varying Hare). Beginning in September, the brown summer coat is gradually replaced by white-tipped hairs, a process lasting up to three months. The reverse process begins in March. The Snowshoe Hare goes through another seasonal change in autumn and develops dense fur pads on its feet. Their diet also changes with the seasons where in the summer, green plants are their main diet and in the winter they browse on twigs and buds. Like other hares and rabbits, they rest in thick cover during the day. |
RACCOON(procyon lotor)Habitat: Bottomlands - Forested edges of streams - lakes - rocky cliffs near water Head - Body 16 - 26"; Tail 8 - 12" Dark eye mask and bushy ringed tail. Raccoons eat most any type food including nuts, berries, grains, bird eggs, carrion, rodents, insects, and crayfish. They mate in late winter and give birth to litters averaging four young in the spring. They don't hibernate but remain inactive in cold weather. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - STRIPED SKUNK(mephitis mephitis)Habitat: Moist, low-lying soils Head - Body 15 - 19"; Tail 7 - 10" Characterized by a white facial stripe, neck patch and a 'V' on their back, and a mottled bushy tail. When provoked, the Striped Skunk arches its back, raises its tail, stamps its front feet and shuffles backwards. It the warning is not heeded, the animal ejects a fine spray of acrid, blinding fluid from its anal glands. As a result, few animals other that large owls prey on skunks. The Striped Skunk ambles about at dusk and after nightfall in search of animal and plant food. It is especally fond of grasshoppers, ground beetlwe, and bees, excavating their nests and eating the larvae. It becomes fat in the fall and spends the winter in a den, to emerge again in warm weather. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WOLVERINE(gulo gulo)Habitat: High Mountains - Arctic tundra Head - Body 28 - 34"; Tail 8 - 9-1/2" Characterized by dark brown fur and broad yellowish bands on the forehead and sides with a bushy tail. Once considered a Canadian mammal, various sightings have been made in the North Country of New Hampshire. Wolverine's actually look like a cross between a skunk and a bear. It's a member of the weasel family and is capable of killing animals as large as a deer. It is a slow plodder but can cover long distances through the snow. Also called the Indian Devil, it raids traps and food caches and is a nuisance to trappers. It eats not only mammals but fish, berries and carcasses left by other predators. It's nickname is 'Glutton'. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MARTEN(martes americana)Habitat: Coniferous forests - cedar swamps Head - Body 13-1/2 - 20"; Tail 6-1/2 - 9-1/2" Characterized by a slender body, long, bushy tail in which their tail and underparts are darker than their back. They have a buff-colored patch on their throat and breast. Usually a nighttime hunter, the Marten is occasionally seen during the day as it leaps and runs along branches in pursuit of squirrels. It also feeds on other small mammals, birds, insects, and berries. Martens are solitary creatures, the males fight and associate with the females only in summer during the mating season. Young martens are not born until spring. Though the gestation period seems long, the embryos do not develop throughout the entire time. Instead, they undergo a spurt of growth only during the month before birth. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ERMINE(mustela erminea)Habitat: Forests - brushy areas usually near water Head - Body 5 - 9-1/2"; Tail 2 - 4" Characterized by a long, slim body, their tail is black on the tip. In the summer they have dark brown fur above and white below. In the winter, they're white except for the tail tip. Ermines are carnivores and with a slender almost serpentine body, it can easily move through small burrows in nocturnal pursuit of rodents. It also climbs well and chases squirrels and chipmunks into trees, usually killing them with a bite in the neck. Twice a year, in the spring and again in the fall, the Ermine changes color dramatically. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MINK
(mustela vison)Habitat: Along rivers streams and lakes Head - Body 11-1/2 - 20"; Tail 5 - 9" Characterized by a long, slim body, their fur is dark red-brown except for a small pale area on the chin and scattered white spots on the underside. The Mink never lives far from water. They are excellent swimmers and prey on both aquatic and terrestrial animals, including muskrats, fish, rabbits and snakes. The males are larger than the famales and have a more extensive hunting area. Mink are fierce and seemingly fearless fighters that scream, spit, hiss and omit a pungent odor when provoked. Adults are usually solitary except in the breeding season. Mating occurs in the winter and litters of 2 to 10 kits are born in the spring. |