Gray Squirrel
(Adopted 1969)

Perhaps the most familiar mammal of eastern North America. It is abundantly in city parks, suburbs, and rural woodlands where there are plenty of nut trees. Its tail is very bushy and is bordered with white hairs. The body is gray with white underparts, and in summer it may appear tawny. Black and all-white individuals are not unusual. The squirrel feeds on a great variety of nuts, seeds, fungi, and fruits. It can destroy small trees by stripping the bark to reach sap. It stores nuts and acorns in the ground, many of which sprout. Nest in natural cavities and builds leafy nest in tree branches. As it dashes among tree branches, its tail helps it balance. It becomes a pest by stealing seeds people put out to feed birds, and by gnawing its way into buildings to spend the winter. Barks sharply or chatters when excited.