5/16/2023 0 Comments Pine squirrelOverlooked middens turn into little conifer nurseries, and the squirrels thus play their part in the continuity of their ecosystem – however self-interested their actions may be.īack in my stand of ponderosas in the Sapphire mountains, my rifle taking a long nap at my side, I watch the commotion above my head. This instinct to stockpile is reflected in the first part of its scientific name – Tamiasciurus – which roughly translates from the Greek to mean “hoarder squirrel.” Although this behavior can sometimes seem greedy, pine squirrels have a habit of forgetting about some of their scattered seed stashes. The seeds they cache in piles called middens, and the mushrooms they hang from a branch to dry before storing. Those boreal evergreen environments offer two of the pine squirrels’ favorite foods: conifer seeds and fungi. Wherever a stand of cool conifers with interlocking canopies is found, there be pine squirrels. Our native variety of red squirrel is found mostly in the upper latitudes of the United States, extending its range north into Canada and Alaska, and south into New Mexico. Not to be confused with the European red squirrel, which is much larger and has pointy tufts of fur on its ears, and often shows up in children’s books written by British authors. Notice the brownish-red fur on its back, earning it the common name North American red squirrel. Look past the accusing stares, the stamping feet, and the shaking tail. Walk towards the cacophony and confront your interrogator. In fact, I’ve looked them in the eye – they never blink. They will arduously defend their nook of the woods from gigantic intruders (such as myself), without batting an eye. Their big, aggressive personalities belie their small stature. Pine squirrels are one of only two native tree squirrels in Montana – the other is the northern flying squirrel – and they’re the smallest of their kind in North America, less than 30 percent the size of the eastern gray squirrel, and only one-fourth the size of a fox squirrel. Who are these tiny, chattering sentinels, announcing my presence to every ungulate in the Any step I take is met with angry feedback from above. There is no unwatched, uncriticized movement in these woods anymore. From that moment forward, my pre-dawn slyness is a distant memory. First one, then another, then three hundred, then five thousand, and before long the evergreen canopy is buzzing with their banter. In those moments just before dawn, as I’m hunkered down behind a log taking stealthy sips from my thermos, the whole world seems to be asleep, dreaming pleasantly. We whisper or use hand signals to communicate. My husband and I take care to place our steps softly and move with intention. An early autumn morning in the woods during hunting season begins quietly.
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