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Grey Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

Not yet photographed by the community

Introduced North American species; now our most familiar squirrel.

Species Profile

Not assessed under standard UK Red/Amber/Green List criteria; designated as an invasive non-native species with significant ecological impact.

Lifespan: 8–10 years in the wild; up to 20 years in captivity
Size & Weight: 25–30 cm body length; 200–500 g (typically 350–500 g)
Habitat: Deciduous and mixed woodlands, parks, gardens, and urban areas with scattered trees throughout the UK.
UK Distribution: Widespread resident across England, Wales, and southern Scotland; absent from northern Scotland and most of Ireland. Established as a non-native invasive species since the 1870s.
Diet: Primarily tree seeds, nuts (acorns, beechnuts, hazelnuts), bark, buds, fungi, and tree fruits; also raids bird feeders and occasionally eats insects and bird eggs.
Predators: Raptors (sparrowhawks, buzzards), foxes, domestic cats, pine martens, and occasionally stoats; juvenile squirrels vulnerable to corvids and other predators.
Mating Season: December to January (winter), and June to July (summer); two breeding seasons per year.
Breeding: Gestation period approximately 43–45 days; typically 3–4 kits per litter; two litters possible per year (spring and summer). Kits weaned at 7–10 weeks.
Behaviour: Highly agile and arboreal, spending most time in tree canopies. Solitary and territorial; communicate via tail signals, chattering calls, and scent-marking. Active year-round but less visible in winter; cache large quantities of nuts in autumn for winter survival.

Did You Know?

•Grey squirrels have largely displaced the native red squirrel across most of the UK through competition and disease transmission (squirrelpox virus).
•They possess remarkable spatial memory, relocating thousands of cached nuts with high accuracy across seasons.
•Grey squirrels can rotate their hind feet 180 degrees, allowing them to climb down tree trunks head-first.
•Native to North America, they were introduced to the UK by aristocratic landowners in the Victorian era for ornamental purposes.
•Their sharp incisors grow continuously throughout their lives and are kept sharp by regular gnawing on bark, branches, and nuts.

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