Best time to see: all year
Key facts
Familiar bushy-tailed climber seen in woods and gardens
Habitat: anywhere with large trees for nesting and a food supply, especially deciduous or mixed woodland
Introduced to Britain from N. America early this century and now widespread across most of England and part of Scotland
Recognition
Grey above, tinged with brown in summer, and white below; body up to 30 cm and bushy tail almost as long
Active by day; buries a store of nuts for winter (does not hibernate)
Feeds on seeds, berries, nuts, shoots, sometimes insects and birds' eggs
Lifecycle
Nest (or 'drey') is a bulky ball of leaves in a tree, sometimes in a hole
2 litters a year, late winter and summer
Filled a 'niche' left by the native red squirrel as this declined because of disease; may now be preventing them re-colonising
© Gerald Downey