Wildlife of Hemmingford – What is it?

by Norma A. Hubbard  (February 2011)

As avid bird watchers our place is surrounded by numerous birdfeeders with a variety of food. While this bird buffet does draw a diversity of birds, it also attracts other wildlife. Often this wildlife includes red squirrels, chipmunks, skunks and raccoons along with small ground creatures like mice and moles. All of these animals we know and can easily identify, so you can imagine our surprise when this little animal appeared one night and we had no idea what it was!

It was first seen late at night about a week before Christmas. It was at the birdfeeders. It was not close enough or bright enough to see well, but clearly something was there, something I could not identify. It took off quickly when I opened the window. It was only on the third night that I managed to snap this photo of it. I enlarged the image and did some research and found out we had a Northern flying squirrel! I realize now I must have blinded the little guy, but without this photo I am sure no one would have believed us. Ron posted it on Facebook with the caption, “What is it?” and many people where stumped, just as we had been. No one had seen one before, and there is a good reason why not.

Most individuals haven’t seen flying squirrels because they are nocturnal. Like many animals that come out at night, they are quite shy and avoid human contact and of course, most wait until we are asleep to make an appearance. (It was after 10pm when our flying squirrel was first spotted).

In spite of its name, a flying squirrel does not fly, it glides.(1) They have “pockets” of skin attached to their legs, which they use to glide. Northern flying squirrels can glide up to 50 meters and they can change direction mid-flight. Since flying squirrels are nocturnal, they can be mistaken for bats.

Northern flying squirrels are only about 30 cm in length, but almost half of that is tail (14cm). These small squirrels can be found throughout forest areas of Canada and they can have several nests. According to some sources, they are endangered and quite rare. It seems we were lucky to have seen not only one flying squirrel, but three.

Other points of interest according to the Canadian Museum of Nature : (2)

• They usually nest in hollow trees or stumps lined with shredded tree bark, leaves, lichens and mosses.
• Males and females frequently occupy separate nests in the summer. In the winter months they often live together in groups of 2 to 10 for warmth.
• Northern flying squirrels are sociable animals with strong maternal instincts; they have one brood per year, averaging 2 to 4 young per litter.
• Their varied, omnivorous diet includes berries, nuts, lichens, fungi, seeds, tree buds, blossoms, insects, carrion and bird eggs.
• Their fondness for maple sap has often led to their tumbling into sap buckets in spring and drowning.
• An important prey animal, its principal enemies are owls, martens, fishers, weasels, raccoons, bobcats and domestic cats.

1. West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel, [Online]. U.S. Fish and Wildlife (Consulted 2012-01-03)
2. “Northern Flying Squirrel”. [Online] Natural History Note- books. Canadian Museum of Nature.