BC Conservation Data Centre: Species Summary
Tamiasciurus douglasii
Douglas's Squirrel
| Scientific Name: | Tamiasciurus douglasii (Bachman, 1839) | ||||||||||
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| English Name: | Douglas's Squirrel | ||||||||||
| English Name Synonyms: |
Douglas' Squirrel
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| Classification / Taxonomy | |||||||||||
| Scientific Name - Concept Reference: | Hope, A. G., J. L. Malaney, K. C. Bell, F. Salazar-Miralles, A. S. Chavez, B. R. Barber, and J. A. Cook. 2016. Revision of widespread red squirrels (genus: Tamiasciurus) highlights the complexity of speciation within North American forests. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 100:170-182. | ||||||||||
| Classification Level: | Species | ||||||||||
| Taxonomy Comments: | Now includes Tamiasciurus mearnsi (Hope et al. 2016). | ||||||||||
| Species Group: | Vertebrate Animal | ||||||||||
| Species Code: | M-TADO | ||||||||||
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| Conservation Status / Legal Designation | |||||||||||
| Global Status: | G5 (Apr 2016) | ||||||||||
| Provincial Status: | S4S5 (Feb 2015) | ||||||||||
| BC List: | Yellow | ||||||||||
| Provincial FRPA list: | |||||||||||
| Provincial Wildlife Act: | |||||||||||
| COSEWIC Status: | |||||||||||
| SARA Schedule: | |||||||||||
| General Status Canada: | 4 - Secure (2005) | ||||||||||
| Ecology & Life History | |||||||||||
| General Description: | |||||||||||
| Global Reproduction Comments: | Most males reproductively active March-May. Females produce 1, perhaps 2, litters/year. Litter of 2-8, usually 4-6, young is born in May-June. Young first venture to ground in August. Families stay together much of first year. | ||||||||||
| Global Ecology Comments: | Populations fluctuate with variations in food supply. Predators include bobcats, martens, coyotes, and large owls. | ||||||||||
| Migration Characteristics: (Global / Provincial) | |||||||||||
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Nonmigrant: Local Migrant: Distant Migrant: Within Borders Migrant: |
Y / N / N / na / |
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| Habitats: (Type / Subtype / Dependence) |
Forest / Conifer Forest - Dry / Facultative - frequent use
Forest / Conifer Forest - Mesic (average) / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Conifer Forest - Moist/wet / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Deciduous/Broadleaf Forest / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Mixed Forest (deciduous/coniferous mix) / Facultative - frequent use Riparian / Riparian Forest / Facultative - frequent use |
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| Global Habitat Comments: | Coniferous forests, in upper pine belt and in fir, spruce, hemlock forests. Occurs from the Transition to the Hudsonian life zone. In Washington, populations generally were higher in old-growth than in younger forest (Buchanan et al. 1990). Makes nest of vegetation in tree in summer; roosts in tree holes in winter. | ||||||||||
| Food Habits: |
Frugivore: Adult, Immature
Granivore: Adult, Immature Herbivore: Adult, Immature |
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| Global Food Habits Comments: | In spring feeds on new shoots of conifers, inner bark and developing needles; in summer, some green vegetation, fruits and berries. In fall eats seeds from conifer cones. May also eat tree sap, fungi, and nuts. Stores cones in log, burrow, etc | ||||||||||
| Global Phenology: |
Diurnal: Adult, Immature
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| Global Phenology Comments: | Active throughout the year but usually remains in nest during severe weather. Daily activity begins at dawn and ends at sunset. | ||||||||||
| Provincial Phenology: (1st half of month/ 2nd half of month) |
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| Colonial Breeder: | N | ||||||||||
| Length(cm)/width(cm)/Weight(g): | 36/ / 300 | ||||||||||
| Elevation (m) (min / max): |
Global:
Provincial: |
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| Distribution | |||||||||||
| Endemic: | N | ||||||||||
| Global Range Comment: | Southwestern British Columbia south through coast ranges, Cascades, and Sierra Nevada to southern California, and Sierra San Pedro Martir, northern Baja California, Mexico. | ||||||||||
| Authors / Contributors | |||||||||||
| Global Information Author: | Hammerson, G. | ||||||||||
| Last Updated: | Apr 13, 1993 | ||||||||||
| Provincial Information Author: | |||||||||||
| Last Updated: | |||||||||||
| References and Related Literature | |||||||||||
Banfield, A. W. F. 1974. The mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. 438 pp. |
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Buchanan, J. B., R. W. Lundquist, and K. B. Aubry. 1990. Winter populations of Douglas' squirrels in different-aged Douglas-fir forests. J. Wildl. Manage. 54:577-581. |
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Hafner, M. S., L. J. Barkley, and J. M. Chupasko. 1994. Evolutionary genetics of New World tree squirrels (tribe Sciurini). J. Mamm. 75:102-109. |
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Hall, E. R. 1981a. The Mammals of North America, second edition. Vols. I & II. John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 1181 pp. |
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Ingles, L. G. 1965. Mammals of the Pacific States. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. |
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Jones, J. K., Jr., R. S. Hoffman, D. W. Rice, C. Jones, R. J. Baker, and M. D. Engstrom. 1992a. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 1991. Occasional Papers, The Museum, Texas Tech University, 146:1-23. |
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Lindsay, S. L. 1981. Taxonomic and biogeographic relationships of Baja California chickarees (TAMIASCIURUS). J. Mamm. 62:673-682. |
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Lindsay, S. L. 1982. Systematic relationship of parapatric tree squirrel species (Tamiasciurus) in the Pacific Northwest. Can. J. Zool. 60:2149-2156. |
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Maser, C., and Z. Maser. 1988. Interactions among squirrels, mycorrhizal fungi, and coniferous forests in Oregon. Great Basin Nat. 48:358-369. |
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Maser, C., B. R. Mate, J. F. Franklin, and C. T. Dyrness. 1981. Natural history of Oregon coast mammals. Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Expt. Sta., USDA, Forest Service, Gen Tech. Rep. PNW-133:1-496. |
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Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/. |
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for definitions of the data fields used in this summary report.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 1993. Species Summary: Tamiasciurus douglasii. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jul 26, 2024).