SCOTT SHALAWAY Squirrel scamper is mating game

During the January deep freeze, I did most of my wildlife watching from the comfort of an easy chair on the warm side of a window. I particularly enjoyed the flock of eight blue jays that acquired a taste for Golden Bits dog food.
Every morning I offer them a large bowl of bits, and it disappears in less than 40 minutes. Now my wife even reminds me to, "feed the blue jays" before she leaves for work. But I also noticed a frenzy of activity among the gray and fox squirrels that inhabit the nearby woods.
For several days running I could count on seeing two squirrels chasing a third. For as long as an hour the single-file pursuit continued -- up one tree, down another, along a fallen log. After a short rest to devour an acorn, the chase resumed. All the while the squirrels scolded each other with a repetitious series of guttural sounds best described as barks.
Squirrel races
One morning my daughter, Emma, noticed the "squirrel races." I told her the "races" were much more than friendly fun. These frenzied chases actually represented one of the early stages of squirrel courtship.
Male gray and fox squirrels, the common tree squirrels of the eastern United States, begin to vie for mates as early as Christmas time. Chasing females is an important part of the contest. With occasional breaks for food and rest, these chases continue for a couple of weeks. Eventually the female accepts the overtures of the male that stays closest to her. In the woods persistence pays dividends.
Gray and fox squirrels mate in January. The breeding biology of gray and fox squirrels is similar. Gestation is surprisingly long for such small rodents. Litters of two to five kits (average three) are born in a tree cavity lined with leaves 44 to 45 days after mating. Birthing peaks in mid-March.
Slow development
Newborn squirrels measure about 2 inches in length and weigh about one-half ounce. Development of the young is slow. Baby squirrels open their eyes at 4 to 5 weeks and wean at about 8 weeks. It's usually May before young squirrels can be seen scampering in treetops.
They remain with their mother another 4 to 5 weeks before she prods them to independence. By the time momma squirrel bounces the kids, she's ready to start all over.
Another series of chases ensues in early June and leads to a second litter in July or early August. In years following a poor nut crop or a severe winter, females forego the summer litter. Females breed when 1 year old, but produce only one litter that first year.
If you're not familiar with them, gray and fox squirrels can be difficult to distinguish. Grays are smaller, a pound and a half, and have an overall grayish cast that contrasts with a white belly. Their tails have a frosted look because the tips of the tail hairs are white.
Fox squirrels weigh about 2 pounds, are a grizzled rusty brown, and have rusty bellies. Their tails are not frosted. Melanistic forms of both species are not uncommon.
"Black" squirrels are not distinct species; they are dark forms of gray and fox squirrels. Melanism, essentially an overdose of dark pigments, is under genetic control, so populations of black squirrels tend to be local and isolated.
When I was in graduate school, a population of "black" gray squirrels inhabited the campus of Michigan State University, and I've seen a similar group at Kent State University.
Easy to spot
I've never seen a black squirrel in a natural setting. Nature frowns on individuals that stand out in a crowd -- they're easy for predators to spot. Gray and fox squirrels also prefer subtly different habitats. Grays prefer mature oak-hickory forests with dense understories.
Fox squirrels prefer more open woods and wooded stream bottoms. Both species thrive in protected city parks. These habitat distinctions, however, are far from absolute, so don't be surprised to find either species in any forest where oaks abound.
If you've got well-stocked bird feeders, all bets are off. Squirrels will find your backyard.
sshalaway@aol.com