Tree Squirrels There Is Undoubtedly No Other Animal That Has Developed Such a Love-Hate Relationship Around Our Homes and Gardens As That of Tree Squirrels
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Nest Check Data Sheet
Nest check data sheet Use this form to describe your nest site and to record data from each visit. Use a separate form for each nest monitored and each new nesting attempt. See back for explanations of codes and fields. When finished, please enter completed forms online at: www.nestwatch.org. Year _________________________ Species ______________________________________________________________________________ 1. NEST SITE LOCATION 2. DESCRIPTION (see key on back) Nest site name Nest is located (circle one) IN ON UNDER __________________________________________________ Nesting substrate _______________________________ Cavity orientation (circle one) N, S, E, W, NE, SE, NW, SW Address: Nearest street address OR Cavity opening width __________________ ❏ in. or ❏ cm __________________________________________________ Predator guard ❏ None or ❏ Type: __________________ __________________________________________________ Habitat within 1 arm length _________________________ Latitude (decimal degrees; ex 47.67932) Human modified description ___________________ N _______________________________________________ Habitat within 1 football field length _________________ Longitude (decimal degrees; ex -76.45448) Human modified description ___________________ W _______________________________________________ Height above ground ____________________❏ ft. or ❏ m 3. BREEDING DATA If eggs or young are present but not countable, enter “u” for unknown. DATE HOST SPECIES STATUS & ACTIVITY CODES COWBIRD ACTIVITY MORE INFO Month / Day Live Dead Nest Adult Young -
Symposium on the Gray Squirrel
SYMPOSIUM ON THE GRAY SQUIRREL INTRODUCTION This symposium is an innovation in the regional meetings of professional game and fish personnel. When I was asked to serve as chairman of the Technical Game Sessions of the 13th Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Game and Fish Commissioners this seemed to be an excellent opportunity to collect most of the people who have done some research on the gray squirrel to exchange information and ideas and to summarize some of this work for the benefit of game managers and other biologists. Many of these people were not from the southeast and surprisingly not one of the panel mem bers is presenting a general resume of one aspect of squirrel biology with which he is most familiar. The gray squirrel is also important in Great Britain but because it causes extensive damage to forests. Much work has been done over there by Monica Shorten (Mrs. Vizoso) and a symposium on the gray squirrel would not be complete without her presence. A grant from the National Science Foundation through the American Institute of Biological Sciences made it possible to bring Mrs. Vizoso here. It is hoped that this symposium will set a precedent for other symposia at future wildlife conferences. VAGN FLYGER. THE RELATIONSHIPS OF THE GRAY SQUIRREL, SCIURUS CAROLINENSIS, TO ITS NEAREST RELATIVES By DR. ]. C. MOORE INTRODUCTION It seems at least slightly more probable at this point in our knowledge of the living Sciuridae, that the northeastern American gray squirrel's oldest known ancestors came from the Old \Vorld rather than evolved in the New. -
2015 Disease Summary
SUMMARY OF DISEASES AFFECTING MICHIGAN WILDLIFE 2015 ABSCESS Abdominal Eastern Fox Squirrel, Trumpeter Swan, Wild Turkey Airsac Canada Goose Articular White-tailed Deer Cranial White-tailed Deer Dermal White-tailed Deer Hepatic White-tailed Deer, Red-tailed Hawk, Wild Turkey Intramuscular White-tailed Deer Muscular Moose, White-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey Ocular White-tailed Deer Pulmonary Granulomatous Focal White-tailed Deer Unspecified White-tailed Deer, Raccoon, Canada Goose Skeletal Mourning Dove Subcutaneous White-tailed Deer, Raccoon, Eastern Fox Squirrel, Mute Swan Thoracic White-tailed Deer Unspecified White-tailed Deer ADHESION Pleural White-tailed Deer 1 AIRSACCULITIS Egg Yolk Canada Goose Fibrinous Chronic Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Canada Goose, Mallard, Wild Turkey Mycotic Trumpeter Swan, Canada Goose Necrotic Caseous Chronic Bald Eagle Unspecified Chronic Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Mute Swan, Redhead, Wild Turkey, Mallard, Mourning Dove Unspecified Snowy Owl, Common Raven, Rock Dove Unspecified Snowy Owl, Merlin, Wild Turkey, American Crow Urate Red-tailed Hawk ANOMALY Congenital White-tailed Deer ARTHROSIS Inflammatory Cooper's Hawk ASCITES Hemorrhagic White-tailed Deer, Red Fox, Beaver ASPERGILLOSIS Airsac American Robin Cranial American Robin Pulmonary Trumpeter Swan, Blue Jay 2 ASPERGILLOSIS (CONTINUED ) Splenic American Robin Unspecified Red-tailed Hawk, Snowy Owl, Trumpeter Swan, Canada Goose, Common Loon, Ring- billed Gull, American Crow, Blue Jay, European Starling BLINDNESS White-tailed Deer BOTULISM Type C Mallard -
Eastern Gray Squirrel Survival in a Seasonally-Flooded Hunted Bottomland Forest Ecosystem
Squirrel Survival in a Flooded Ecosystem. Wilson et al. Eastern Gray Squirrel Survival in a Seasonally-Flooded Hunted Bottomland Forest Ecosystem Sarah B. Wilson, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, 602 Duncan Dr. Auburn University, AL 36849 Stephen S. Ditchkoff, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, 602 Duncan Dr. Auburn University, AL 36849 Robert A. Gitzen, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, 602 Duncan Dr. Auburn University, AL 36849 Todd D. Steury, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, 602 Duncan Dr. Auburn University, AL 36849 Abstract: Though the eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is an important game species throughout its range in North America, little is known about environmental factors that may affect survival. We investigated survival and predation of a hunted population of eastern gray squirrels on Lown- des Wildlife Management Area in central Alabama from July 2015–April 2017. This area experiences annual flooding conditions from November through the following September. Our Kaplan-Meier survival estimate at 365 days for all squirrels was 0.25 (0.14–0.44, 95% CL) which is within the range for previously studied eastern gray squirrel populations (0.20–0.58). There was no difference between male (0.13; 0.05–0.36, 95% CL) and female survival (0.37; 0.18–0.75, 95% CL, P = 0.16). Survival was greatest in summer (1.00) and fall (0.65; 0.29–1.0, 95% CL) and lowest during winter (0.23; 0.11–0.50, 95% CL). We found squirrels were more likely to die during the flooded winter season and mortality risk increased as flood extent through- out the study area increased. -
Wildlife Species
Wildlife Species This chapter contains information on species featured in each of the ecoregions. Species are grouped by Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish. Species are listed alphabetically within each group. A general description, habitat requirements, and possible wildlife management practices are provided for each species. Wildlife management practices for a particular species may vary among ecoregions, so not all of the wildlife management practices listed for a species may be applicable for that species in all ecoregions. Refer to the WMP charts within a particular ecoregion to determine which practices are appropriate for species included in that ecoregion. The species descriptions contain all the information needed about a particular species for the WHEP contest. However, additional reading should be encouraged for participants that want more detailed information. Field guides to North American wildlife and fish are good sources for information and pictures of the species listed. There also are many Web sites available for wildlife species identification by sight and sound. Information from this section will be used in the Wildlife Challenge at the National Invitational. Participants should be familiar with the information presented within the species accounts for those species included within the ecoregions used at the Invitational. It is important to understand that when assessing habitat for a particular wildlife species and considering various WMPs for recommendation, current conditions should be evaluated. That is, WMPs should be recommended based on the current habitat conditions within the year. Also, it is important to realize the benefit of a WMP may not be realized soon. For example, trees or shrubs planted for mast may not provide cover or bear fruit for several years. -
Fort Riley Hunting Guide
FORT RILEY HUNTING GUIDE The Fort Riley Military Reservation is located in northeast Kansas between Manhattan and Junction City. About 71,000 of the installation's 101,000 acres are managed for multiple-use, including wildlife management. Hunting is allowed on Fort Riley when compatible with the post's primary mission of military training. Fort Riley has a diverse and abundant wildlife resource, which is a product of the post's good habitat conditions. Native tall-grass prairie is well interspersed with riparian and upland woodlands and shrublands creating diverse habitat conditions. Coupled with this native habitat is almost 1,600 acres of land leased for agricultural crop production on the installation's perimeter boundary. Another 700 acres of wildlife food plots, ranging in size from 1/2 to 15 acres, are planted in the interior of the Post each year. Nine principal game species are available to the Fort Riley hunter: bobwhite quail, ring-necked pheasant, greater prairie-chicken, mourning dove, wild turkey, white-tailed deer, elk, cottontail rabbit and fox squirrel. In addition to these species, good populations of raccoon, bobcat and coyote exist on Post. Waterfowl hunting opportunities can be fantastic along the rivers when the ponds and shallow water wetland areas start freezing over, as well as most Central Flyway "puddle" ducks can be found on Fort Riley's numerous ponds and lakes during the fall migration. REGULATIONS On Fort Riley, all State of Kansas and federal hunting regulations (bag limits, season lengths, hunting hours, methods of take, etc.) are in force unless otherwise noted in the Fort Riley Hunting and Fishing Regulations, FR Reg. -
Mammals of the Finger Lakes ID Guide
A Guide for FL WATCH Camera Trappers John Van Niel, Co-PI CCURI and FLCC Professor Nadia Harvieux, Muller Field Station K-12 Outreach Sasha Ewing, FLCC Conservation Department Technician Past and present students at FLCC Virginia Opossum Eastern Coyote Eastern Cottontail Domestic Dog Beaver Red Fox Muskrat Grey Fox Woodchuck Bobcat Eastern Gray Squirrel Feral Cat Red Squirrel American Black Bear Eastern Chipmunk Northern Raccoon Southern Flying Squirrel Striped Skunk Peromyscus sp. North American River Otter North American Porcupine Fisher Brown Rat American Mink Weasel sp. White-tailed Deer eMammal uses the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for common and scientific names (with the exception of Domestic Dog) Often the “official” common name of a species is longer than we are used to such as “American Black Bear” or “Northern Raccoon” Please note that it is Grey Fox with an “e” but Eastern Gray Squirrel with an “a”. Face white, body whitish to dark gray. Typically nocturnal. Found in most habitats. About Domestic Cat size. Can climb. Ears and tail tip can show frostbite damage. Very common. Found in variety of habitats. Images are often blurred due to speed. White tail can overexpose in flash. Snowshoe Hare (not shown) is possible in higher elevations. Large, block-faced rodent. Common in aquatic habitats. Note hind feet – large and webbed. Flat tail. When swimming, can be confused with other semi-aquatic mammals. Dark, naked tail. Body brown to blackish (darker when wet). Football-sized rodent. Common in wet habitats. Usually doesn’t stray from water. Pointier face than Beaver. -
4-H-993-W, Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Food Flash Cards
Purdue extension 4-H-993-W Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Food Flash Cards Authors: Natalie Carroll, Professor, Youth Development right, it goes in the “fast” pile. If it takes a little and Agricultural Education longer, put the card in the “medium” pile. And if Brian Miller, Director, Illinois–Indiana Sea Grant College the learner does not know, put the card in the “no” Program Photos by the authors, unless otherwise noted. pile. Concentrate follow-up study efforts on the “medium” and “no” piles. These flash cards can help youth learn about the foods that wildlife eat. This will help them assign THE CONTEST individual food items to the appropriate food When youth attend the WHEP Career Development categories and identify which wildlife species Event (CDE), actual food specimens—not eat those foods during the Foods Activity of the pictures—will be displayed on a table (see Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program (WHEP) Figure 1). Participants need to identify which contest. While there may be some disagreement food category is represented by the specimen. about which wildlife eat foods from the category Participants will write this food category on the top represented by the picture, the authors feel that the of the score sheet (Scantron sheet, see Figure 2) and species listed give a good representation. then mark the appropriate boxes that represent the wildlife species which eat this category of food. The Use the following pages to make flash cards by same species are listed on the flash cards, making it cutting along the dotted lines, then fold the papers much easier for the students to learn this material. -
Bird Nests What Is a Bird's Nest?
Duke Gardens Winter Fun at Home BIRD NESTS Winter can be a good time to spot bird nests in bare tree branches that lost their leaves in the fall. Have you ever spotted any bird nests or squirrel dreys in a tree? (Drey is the word for a squirrel nest, and they usually look like a messy ball of sticks and leaves). WHAT IS A BIRD’S NEST? All birds start their life cycle as an egg. Eggs need to be protected from weather and predators. An egg also needs to stay warm from the time it is laid until it hatches. This is called the incubation period. A nest is the shelter most adult birds build to protect their eggs until A squirrel drey they hatch and to keep baby birds safe until they are ready to leave (not a bird nest!) the nest. Nests range in size, shape, location and building materials, and all of these can be clues about the kind of bird that made it. For example, bald eagle nests can be 5-6 feet across, while a cardinal’s nest is about 4 inches across. Hummingbird nests can be as small as a thimble when they are built, but they are made with materials that allow the nest to stretch as the baby birds inside it grow. Nests can be built in many places. Some birds make cavity nests inside something by finding or making an opening inside a tree, a stump or a nest box. Carolina wrens, chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers, and some owls are a few examples of cavity nesting birds. -
El Dorado Wildlife Area Newsletter 11-20-2014
El Dorado Wildlife Area News Area News – Fall 2014 2014/2015 Hunting Outlook: Upland Birds: The fall hunting outlook for quail on the area is fair. Hunters should see quail numbers that are again increased as compared to last fall. Quail production in recent years (2007-2010) was believed to have been hampered by heavy rains, cool temperatures, and significant flooding during the critical reproductive months of May, June, and July. The 2011 and 2012 reproductive seasons however were notably different. Rather than too much moisture and associated cool temperatures, both years were marked with record breaking excessive heat and drought. Quail production during those years is believed to have suffered as well. More moderate weather conditions in 2013 and 2014 are believed to have resulted in improved production, as several coveys were observed or reported early this fall, but current quail populations remain below levels observed during 2005 and 2006 when quail populations were very good. Within most habitat areas, natural vegetation and area crops should provide good food and cover conditions for wildlife, including quail, and should help to sustain breeding populations into next spring. The wildlife area lies outside the primary range of ring-necked pheasant. Hunters occasionally encounter pheasants on the area, but numbers are low. Male bobwhite. Waterfowl: The fall hunting outlook for waterfowl on the area is fair. Waterfowl populations are reported to remain strong following another good production year within breeding habitats to the north. Habitat conditions however here are not nearly as strong as those experienced last year. Abundant precipitation and a slight flood in June kept lake levels full, or nearly so, for much of the summer. -
Checklist of Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds and Mammals of New York
CHECKLIST OF AMPHIBIANS, REPTILES, BIRDS AND MAMMALS OF NEW YORK STATE Including Their Legal Status Eastern Milk Snake Moose Blue-spotted Salamander Common Loon New York State Artwork by Jean Gawalt Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Fish and Wildlife Page 1 of 30 February 2019 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Fish and Wildlife Wildlife Diversity Group 625 Broadway Albany, New York 12233-4754 This web version is based upon an original hard copy version of Checklist of the Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds and Mammals of New York, Including Their Protective Status which was first published in 1985 and revised and reprinted in 1987. This version has had substantial revision in content and form. First printing - 1985 Second printing (rev.) - 1987 Third revision - 2001 Fourth revision - 2003 Fifth revision - 2005 Sixth revision - December 2005 Seventh revision - November 2006 Eighth revision - September 2007 Ninth revision - April 2010 Tenth revision – February 2019 Page 2 of 30 Introduction The following list of amphibians (34 species), reptiles (38), birds (474) and mammals (93) indicates those vertebrate species believed to be part of the fauna of New York and the present legal status of these species in New York State. Common and scientific nomenclature is as according to: Crother (2008) for amphibians and reptiles; the American Ornithologists' Union (1983 and 2009) for birds; and Wilson and Reeder (2005) for mammals. Expected occurrence in New York State is based on: Conant and Collins (1991) for amphibians and reptiles; Levine (1998) and the New York State Ornithological Association (2009) for birds; and New York State Museum records for terrestrial mammals. -
Eastern Gray Squirrel Sciurus Carolinensis
eastern gray squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Kingdom: Animalia FEATURES Phylum: Chordata The eastern gray squirrel’s head-body length is Class: Mammalia between eight and 11 inches, with its tail about the Order: Rodentia same length as the body. Its body fur is gray, and there is a border of white fur on the bushy, gray tail. Family: Sciuridae The belly fur is white, a cream line surrounds each ILLINOIS STATUS eye, and white tips are present on the back of the ears. common, native BEHAVIORS The eastern gray squirrel may be found statewide in Illinois. It lives in woods or forests that have a closed canopy, nut-bearing trees and plenty of cavity trees. As these mature forests have been destroyed in Illinois, the population of gray squirrels has declined. However, gray squirrels are common in cities. Here, they live in trees without the conditions described above. The gray squirrel eats buds, leaves, fruits, berries, fungi, pecans, acorns, hickory nuts, tree bark, walnuts and the seeds of various other trees. It stores nuts in holes in the ground. This squirrel grasps food in its front paws. It is primarily arboreal, and its large, bushy tail helps it balance while climbing and resting in trees. Urban squirrels are good at climbing brick walls and walking along wires and cables. The eastern gray squirrel does not hibernate and is active during the day year-round. It ILLINOIS RANGE may sleep for several consecutive days in winter, however. Its call is “kuk-kuk-cut-cut-cut.” This animal builds a leaf nest in the high branches of a tree but may use a tree cavity for escape from predators and poor weather and for raising its young.