What Is a Flying Squirrel?

Flying squirrels are furry rodents found in the wild as well as in households as pets. They have characteristics similar to the tree squirrel except for their most noticeable feature, flaps of skin along their sides that stretch from ankles to wrists. These flaps of skin stretch out as the flying squirrel jumps from tree to tree, helping it glide down and look as if it is flying. Amazingly, they can glide down three feet for every foot in elevation.

  1. Characteristics

    • The coat of the flying squirrel is soft and comes in an array of colors ranging from cinnamon to blackish-brown. Their bellies are white or pale cinnamon and trimmed in a dark gray. Their tails are broad and used to steer the squirrels as they glide. They have large eyes that help them see at night and small, lightly furred ears. Chirps and a churning noise are the only sounds made by these animals.

    Species

    • There are two species of flying squirrels, the Northern and Southern. The Northern flying squirrel is found in Canada, the Appalachian Mountains, North Carolina and Tennessee, the Pacific Coast into northern California and in the Rocky Mountains. Southern flying squirrels inhabit the eastern half of the United States and Canada, ranging to the Atlantic to central Minnesota and central Texas. It also ranges south to the Gulf of Mexico and Florida.

    Diet

    • Acorns are prominent in the diet of the flying squirrel.

      Geographic and seasonal availability, as well as hunger, determines the diet of the flying squirrel. Their normal food consists of nuts, seeds, fruits, berries, flowers, insects, bird eggs and fungi. If these foodstuffs are not available, the squirrel will resort to eating spiders, slugs, snails, bark and tree sap. They are hoarders and will forage for food in trees as well as on the ground, storing it in crevices in trees and holes in the ground.

    Nests

    • The nests of flying squirrels contain various materials and are located in areas with good tree cover or in houses or barns. Typical nest materials are bark, grasses, moss, animal fur, feathers, twigs and leaves. Nests are sometimes used only once, or for longer periods if environmental conditions are suitable.

    Predators

    • Owls are a major predator of flying squirrels.

      The average life span of the flying squirrel in the wild is about five years, with predators being the major cause of death. Owls, raccoons, coyotes, house cats and snakes are among the predators flying squirrels face. The color of the flying squirrel, however, allows it to blend into the environment in which it lives and provides some protection.