Mammals Active during the day

Douglas's Squirrel

Tamiasciurus douglasii

iNaturalist Wikipedia

The feisty 'chickaree' of the Pacific Northwest, the Douglas's squirrel is a bolt of orange lightning in the evergreen canopy. A tireless architect of the forest, it spends its days guarding massive cone caches and scolding any who dare to intrude.

0 Sightings

0 Habitats

Quick Identification

straighten

Size

Length: 27–35 cm (10.5–13.5 in); Weight: 150–300 g (5.3–10.6 oz)

palette

Colors

Olive-gray to reddish-brown upperparts; vibrant orange to yellowish underbelly; distinct white eye-ring; dark lateral stripe visible in summer

visibility

Key Features

Vivid orange or yellow belly
Distinct white eye-rings around dark eyes
Small, tufted ears in winter
Noisy, bird-like scolding call
Bushy tail with dark/frosted tips

When You’ll See Them

schedule

Activity pattern Active during the day

brightness_5

Peak hours 7-11 AM, 3-6 PM

calendar_month

Season Year-round

restaurant

Diet Specializes in conifer seeds (fir, pine, spruce); also consumes fungi, truffles, berries, and occasionally bird eggs.

park

Habitat Old-growth and second-growth coniferous forests, mixed woodlands, and wooded suburban parks.

public Geographic range

Where Does the Douglas's Squirrel Live?

Native to the Pacific Northwest of North America, the Douglas's squirrel is a quintessential inhabitant of the coastal and mountain evergreen forests. Its core range extends from southwestern British Columbia down through Washington and Oregon into the Sierra Nevada mountains of central California. Small, isolated populations are also found in the high-elevation forests of northern Baja California, Mexico, marking the southern limit of its distribution.

Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors

3 Countries

1.2M km² Range

Least Concern Conservation

US United States CA Canada MX Mexico

eco

iNaturalist / Verified observation data

View on iNaturalist open_in_new

Explore more Mammals arrow_forward

Behavior

The Douglas's squirrel is a high-energy, territorial mammal famously known for its vocal nature. Often called the 'chickaree,' it produces a wide range of chirps, whistles, and trills to defend its territory from intruders. Unlike many other mammals in its range, it does not hibernate, remaining active throughout the year by relying on massive food caches known as middens.

These squirrels are arboreal masters, spent much of their time in the canopy of coniferous trees. They exhibit a unique foraging behavior called 'cone-cutting,' where they nip green cones from branches and drop them to the forest floor to be collected and stored in moist, cool piles to keep the seeds from drying out. They are solitary and can be surprisingly aggressive, often chasing away much larger squirrels or birds from their prized food stores.

photo_camera EverydayEarth exclusive

Camera Tips

To capture the Douglas's squirrel on your backyard camera, focus your efforts on 'middens'—large, messy piles of cone scales usually located at the base of a mature fir or pine tree. These are the squirrel's primary larders and activity hubs. Mount your camera at a low angle, roughly 1 to 2 feet off the ground, directed toward a flat log or a cleared patch of ground near the midden. Because these squirrels are extremely fast and twitchy, set your camera to a high trigger speed and use a 'burst' or 'multi-shot' mode to ensure you catch more than just a blurry tail.

Baiting can be very effective for bringing them into a specific frame. Use raw, unsalted sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, or walnuts. Instead of a standard bird feeder, try placing the nuts on a natural platform like a stump or a flat rock to get more 'wild' looking shots. If you have a trail camera with a macro focus or adjustable focal length, set it for about 3-5 feet to capture the intricate details of their orange fur and white eye-rings.

Seasonally, winter provides some of the best photographic opportunities. Because Douglas's squirrels do not hibernate, they are often the only active mammals in a snowy landscape. Their vibrant orange bellies provide a stunning contrast against the white snow. During these colder months, their ear tufts are also more prominent, giving them a distinctively 'wild' look. Early morning light is your best friend, as they are most active right after sunrise when they emerge to check their food caches.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Douglas's Squirrel.

American Red Squirrel

Has a stark white underbelly and is typically found further north and inland compared to the Douglas's squirrel.

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Much larger with a bushy, white-fringed tail and lacks the orange underbelly of the Douglas's squirrel.

Browse all Mammals arrow_forward

Frequently Asked Questions

Douglas's squirrels are diurnal, meaning they are strictly active during daylight hours. You will find them most active in the early morning shortly after sunrise and again in the late afternoon before dusk.

Maintain mature evergreen trees and provide a steady source of high-protein snacks like walnuts, hazelnuts, or black oil sunflower seeds. They prefer feeders placed near tree trunks or along fence lines that provide a quick escape route.

Their diet is centered on conifer seeds from cones they harvest and cache. They also eat mushrooms—often hanging them on branches to dry—along with berries, flower buds, and occasionally insects or bird eggs.

Yes, they are common in suburban areas that have retained mature coniferous trees. However, they may be less visible in highly urbanized centers where the larger, more aggressive Eastern Gray Squirrel has moved in.

The easiest way to distinguish them is by the belly color: the Douglas's squirrel has a vibrant orange or yellow belly, while the American Red Squirrel has a bright white belly. Their ranges also typically separate them, with Douglas's squirrels staying closer to the Pacific coast.

Record Douglas's Squirrel at your habitat

Connect a camera to start building your own species record — AI identifies every visitor automatically.

Join free Identify a photo