Pictures of Squirrels at Work & Play

Looking for pictures of squirrels? You will find both red and gray squirrel pictures here. Learn all about their living habits and what they eat.

Did you know that a squirrel is any of a group of small to medium-sized gnawing animals with a long, cylindrical body; a furry tail; and powerful jaws? Any one of them make fantastic pictures to enjoy and share with friends.

Squirrels are some of the most popular and easily recognized animals because of their curiosity, liveliness, and wide distribution. Perhaps this is why this page is one of the most popular on Nature and Flower Pictures.

Pictures of Squirrels Image Gallery

What is a Squirrel?

Squirrels live on every continent except Australia and Antarctica.  They may be divided into three general types:

1. tree squirrels
2. flying squirrels
3. ground squirrels

But the squirrel family, (Sciuridae - that is the scientific name) , is made up of approximately 270 species. They make up one of the largest families of rodents. Yes I said rodents.  They are rodents because they are gnawing animals. 

Beavers, mice and rats also belong to the rodent order.

I think, when it comes to pictures, that squirrels are the cutest, don’t you?  I know I would rather have pictures of squirrels.  But then a picture of a beaver would be nice too.

Tree squirrels - are tree-climbing, bushy-tailed animals that inhabit most of the world's forests. They weigh from 1/3 ounce to 61/2 pounds (10 grams to 3 kilograms). They are active during the day. Familiar tree squirrels include the eastern gray and eastern fox squirrels of North America, the Eurasian red squirrel, and the giant and tricolor squirrels of Asia.

Flying squirrels - are tree climbers that have folds of skin between their front and back legs. These folds enable them to glide long distances. They weigh from 3/4 ounce to 51/2 pounds (22 grams to 2.5 kilograms). They are nocturnal--that means, they sleep during the day and become active at night.

Most flying squirrel species live in southern Asia. Two small species inhabit North America but are rarely seen because they are strictly nocturnal. If you happen to have a flying squirrel in your pictures of squirrels collection, I would love to share it with our readers. Just use this form to send us any pictures you would like to share.

Ground squirrels - are compact, short-tailed, burrowing rodents that are especially abundant in open country. They dwell mostly in grasslands and tundra. The most common ground squirrels found in North America are the small, striped or spotted rodents that are actually known as ground squirrels.

Other types of ground squirrels include chipmunks, marmots, and prairie dogs.

Where Do Squirrels Live?

The availability of nests is the second most import thing for squirrels.  Nests provide protection from heat and cold, a refuge from enemies, a place to raise young, and a storage site for food.  A squirrel usually has more than one nest and can move quickly to an alternate nest if threatened.

In the fall when the tree branches start to become bare, you can catch a glimpse of the squirrel nests. The first picture in this last row is a fine example. These nests are often in the same trees as bird's nests.

Many tree and flying squirrels use different kinds of nests for winter and summer.  The winter nest consists of a cavity in a tree trunk or branch lined with leaves, grasses, chewed bark, or other padding.  The summer nest is a leaf nest consisting of twigs, leaves, vines, and other plant material woven into a ball in the fork of a tree branch.  Some squirrel species use a leaf nest the year around. Such leaf nests are called dreys.