BS: squirrel red grey cross?

Subject: BS: sqirrel red grey cross?
From: skipy
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 05:53 PM

Go with me on this one! I looked out of a window at work today because 3 others where stood looking out. There a few yards away in a tree was the largest squirrel I have ever seen! Strange thing was though, it's head was mostly red, it had a wide red stripe down each side & the rest of it was grey! It's tail was a mixture of both. I don't work near a nuclear power station or anything simillar!
Anyone seen anything like it before? We watched it for several minutes as it colected berries. Wonderful sight to behold, so is it a red / grey cross? Never heard of one before let alone seen one, never even seen a red in the wild before, after all this is the middle of Oxfordshire.
Skipy

Subject: RE: BS: sqirrel red grey cross?
From: gnu
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 06:02 PM

I saw sommat similar back in Sept... no defined stripes (just kinda "shaded" down the sides toward the back), but it was greyish and reddish. And, we have very few grey squirrels to speak of here in Moncton, NB, CA.

But, this was bigger than any grey I have ever seen. Used to see them when I lived in Fredericton, NB. Bigger that the reds.

I tried to get a pic, but failed. This squirrel was near 18" from nose to tail. Unheard of around here.

Subject: RE: BS: sqirrel red grey cross?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 06:04 PM

I believe that in some parts of the UK there are squats -squirrel/rat crosses.

Subject: RE: BS: sqirrel red grey cross?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 06:08 PM

http://www.uksafari.com/greysquirrels.htm

Subject: RE: BS: sqirrel red grey cross?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 06:10 PM

http://www.uksafari.com/redsquirrels.htm

Subject: RE: BS: sqirrel red grey cross?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 06:15 PM

crossbreed impossible?

Subject: RE: BS: sqirrel red grey cross?
From: gnu
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 06:15 PM

Gosh... that grey looks more like our reds. And that red looks like sommat our reds would beat up.

The Greys I know in Fredericton, NB, CA are really grey. And big bugger, compared to our native reds.

Subject: RE: BS: squirrel red grey cross?
From: maeve
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 06:40 PM

Hi skipy. That sounds like a beautiful animal. I've observed many variations in squirrel color here in the USA; in Southern, Midwestern, and New England states. I've also observed them in England, Wales, and Scotland. I've examined quite a few study skins as well. It is not unusual to see especially large or unusually marked squirrels here, but it's surely interesting.

The idea of a squirrel-rat hybrid is also interesting, but unfounded, with all respect to those who have been told otherwise. There are sometimes crosses between the different squirrels, however.

Enjoy watching the critters!

Subject: RE: BS: sqirrel red grey cross?
From: GUEST,Allan S.
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 07:21 PM

Back in the 1950's at the university of Connecticut we had several nests? of Albino Squirrels. My room mate shot one of them and the fur was completely white .

Subject: RE: BS: sqirrel red grey cross?
From: Sorcha
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 07:33 PM

so, what are the coal black ones on the US East coast? Just a melinated form of the reds?

Subject: RE: BS: sqirrel red grey cross?
From: Becca72
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 08:30 PM

black squirrel


This is what wikipedia has to say about black squirrels for what it's worth. Don't think I've ever seen one live and in person.

Subject: RE: BS: sqirrel red grey cross?
From: MMario
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 08:36 PM

melinated greys, I think. We've got many colour variations here - black, black with red tails, black with grey tails; red with black tails, etc, I believe we've spotted just about every combination of red, black and grey ...but the local dept of wildlife tells us that they are all genetically greys.

Subject: RE: BS: sqirrel red grey cross?
From: Zen
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 08:48 PM

I believe there is a red-grey cross... so-called "brown" squirrel that is beginning to make inroads in some places... I seem to remember seeing a BBC piece about them.

Zen

Subject: RE: BS: sqirrel red grey cross?
From: Sorcha
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 08:49 PM

Well, I know they are condsidered 'rats' but I love them. So there.

Subject: RE: BS: sqirrel red grey cross?
From: catspaw49
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 09:22 PM

We have a few blacks here but just 25 miles north the population really goes up. Back where I'm from (not far from Kent mentioned in the article) the blacks have almost completely taken over in the past 20 years. They're really cute!

When I was young it was pretty easy to tell a gray from a red but it seems there is a lot of mutations in coat color anymore and I've seen some strange combos like Mario mentions. Here in town we have a clan marked by their medium gray coat with the tail being somewhere between half and totally white.


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: sqirrel red grey cross?
From: open mike
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 09:45 PM

tree rats...
i have seen black ones in nebraska
they came across on the Mormon Bridge from Iowa.

i have also seen albinos...but i would never shoot them!

Subject: RE: BS: squirrel red grey cross?
From: katlaughing
Date: 31 Dec 08 - 01:20 AM

Nor would I, open mike!

I was never so surprised when we moved to New England and saw black squirrels. I'd never seen anything like them out here. They are really cute as Spaw says. I love squirrels, they are so ingenious. I love chipmunks, too. We have some real cuties who will eat out of your hand, up on the Grand Mesa.

Subject: RE: BS: squirrel red grey cross?
From: open mike
Date: 31 Dec 08 - 01:53 AM

i thought you said they were ignious but then they would be rocks..
i looked for black squirrel links...and found a band in Omaha

your "cuties" link goes to 404--not found..
here is a chipmunk page.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Least_Chipmunk

and these little guys 9and gals
have tufted ears...like bob cats...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaibab_Squirrel

Subject: RE: BS: squirrel red grey cross?
From: Phot
Date: 31 Dec 08 - 06:48 AM

We have a large population of black squirrels at work (RAF Brampton) Being a small unit and totally fenced in, there are no natural preaditors, also the unit is a natural arboretum and is protected by law, giving a perfect habitat, with good food supply.

They are known, not surprisingly, as Ninja Squirrels!

Wassail!! Chris

Subject: RE: BS: squirrel red grey cross?
From: leftydee
Date: 31 Dec 08 - 10:01 AM

Here in Michigan we have fox squirrels, grays (black being a color variation of the same species) and red squirrels. About five years ago we had hybrids start showing up in my neighborhood with many varieties of size and color. The hybrids, of course, are very vigorous and we are about waist deep in squirrels today much to my bird dogs' dismay.

Subject: RE: BS: squirrel red grey cross?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 31 Dec 08 - 11:57 AM

So contrary to the apparently authoritative third link I provided, the mudcat asserts that the different squirrels CAN interbreed?

Subject: RE: BS: squirrel red grey cross?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 31 Dec 08 - 12:01 PM

Hows about this wee beastie?

And it isn't April 1st!

DeG

Subject: RE: BS: squirrel red grey cross?
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 31 Dec 08 - 01:57 PM

The only place I've actually SEEN black squirrels (which are definitely a color variation of the gray squirrel) is in Falls Village, Connecticut.

I've got a "squirrel terrarium", so to speak, in the south (downhill) window of our living room. A gray took advantage of a missing small pane of glass at the top of the outside window to enter and set up housekeeping. Built a cozy nest and settled in. I'm not sure if it's the same female each year, but there have been several litters reared in that window nest.

Initially I was afraid that when the Christmas tree was set up in front of the window, I'd have several cats perched in the boughs amidst the ornaments keeping a close eye on the squirrel activity, so we tried to discourage the winter rental.

Not only did the discouragement not work, the squirrel and progeny never caught the attention of the cats. (They preferred to hunt the accessible flying squirrels in the walls of the dormer and the bedroom closet -- I could have fashioned a jacket out of flat flying squirrel tails. I think we've finally rousted them from the "Perdurabo Wildlife Refuge"!)

The squirrel terrarium didn't bother us -- they couldn't do any damage and it was fascinating to watch squirrel life -- mother nursing young, teaching the "adolescents" to get out and back in (out-- in -- out -- in...), etc.

They actually had it pretty cushy -- solar heat from outside, wood heat from inside, sarety from predators, and a high view of the surrounding woods. If an acorn fell, they knew about it.

Haven't seen a squirrel in the next yet this season, though.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: squirrel red grey cross?
From: open mike
Date: 01 Jan 09 - 12:28 AM

flying squirrels in the house/? oh my!
here they are not often found near humans..
they are an indicator species that spotted owls might be nearby
as the owls eat them. the owls generally live in old growth forest.

Subject: RE: BS: squirrel red grey cross?
From: maeve
Date: 01 Jan 09 - 12:39 AM

Richard Bridge- I have been finding similar links indicating that the different squirrels may NOT be able to interbreed, contrary to what many of us have thought. Interesting again! If I can I'll post a few for further discussion.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: squirrel red grey cross?
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 01 Jan 09 - 05:58 AM

For interest more on the white squirrels mentioned above.