American Red Squirrel - Species Profile
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List
LC - Least Concern
NatureServe
N5 - Secure
SNR - Unranked
Minnesota
not listed
Description
American Red Squirrel is a small, noisy tree squirrel, the smallest of the tree squirrels of its range. This pine squirrel is easily recognized by its small size, its red upperside, and its drawn-out, rachet-like chatter.
At maturity it is 11″ to 13¾″ long including the tail.
The head and body are 7″ to 8″ long. In summer the back and sides are dull grayish- to greenish red. In winter they are orangish-red. The head is slightly darker and grayer and there is a prominent white ring around each eye. The underside is white. There is a narrow black band, separating the brown upperside from the white underside, that is visible only in the summer. The legs and feet are yellowish brown.
The tail is 4″ to 6″ long. The upperside is reddish-brown bordered with black and cinnamon. The underside is gray tinged with cinnamon. In winter the fur colors are brighter.
The ears are moderate in size and somewhat pointed. In winter there are tufts of fur on the tips.
Size
Head and body: 7″ to 8″
Tail: 4″ to 6″
Sign
Similar Species
Habitat
Coniferous, deciduous, and mixed forests
Ecology
Behavior
Lifespan
Usually less than 5 years
Life Cycle
Nests are usually made by lining a tree hollow. Sometimes a hollow log is used, sometimes a leaf nest is built. The female has one litter of usually 2 to 5 in mid-January to mid-February. The young leave the nest after 40 days. Up to 75% die from predation in the first year. Those that survive may live up to 9 years, though few live more than 5 years.
Diet
Distribution
Sources
Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 12/10/2025).
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus (Erxleben, 1777) in GBIF Secretariat (2023). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org. Accessed 12/10/2025.
Timm, R. M. 1975. Distribution, natural history, and parasites of mammals of Cook County, Minnesota. Occasional Papers, Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota 14:1–56.
Hazard, Evan B. 1982. The Mammals of Minnesota. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 280 pp.
The counties in light green lack modern records but have historic county or township specimens or records.
Northern Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus hudsonicus) range is restricted to the northeastern and northcentral counties.
Minnesota Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus minnesota) range includes all but the northeastern and northcentral counties.
Occurrence
Common
Taxonomy
Class
Subclass
Theria
Infraclass
Placentalia (Placental Mammals)
Magnorder
Boreoeutheria
Superorder
Euarchontoglires (Primates, Rodents, and Allies)
Order
Rodentia (Rodents)
Suborder
Sciuromorpha (Squirrels, Dormice, and Mountain Beavers)
Family
Sciuridae (Squirrels)
Subfamily
Sciurinae (Typical and Flying Squirrels)
Tribe
Sciurini (Typical Squirrels)
Genus
Tamiasciurus (Pine Squirrels)
Subordinate Taxa
American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus lanuginosus)
Alaska Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus petulans)
American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus preblei)
Bailey’s Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus baileyi)
Bangs Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus gymnicus)
Black Hills Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus dakotensis)
British Columbia Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus columbianus)
Dixie Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus dixiensis)
Fremont Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus fremonti)
Isle Royale Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus regalis) *
Kenai Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus kenaiensis)
Kupreanof Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus picatus)
Laurentian Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus laurentianus)
Minnesota Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus minnesota) 
Mogollon Mountains Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus mogollonensis)
Mount Graham Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis)
North Dakota Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus pallescens)
northern Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus hudsonicus)
Richardson Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus richardsoni)
Ruidoso Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus lychnuchus)
southern Appalachian Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus abieticola)
Streator Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus streatori)
talkative Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus loquax)
Ungava Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus ungavensis)
Wind River Mountains Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus ventorum)
* Some sources (iNaturalist.org) treat T. h. regalis as a synonym of T. h. hudsonicus.
Synonyms
Sciurus hudsonicus
Sciurus tenuidens
Common Names
American Red Squirrel
Boomer
Chickaree
Pine Squirrel
Red Squirrel
Spruce Squirrel
