Eastern Grey Squirrels (Sciurus Carolinensis).
The eastern Grey Squirrel is a medium sized squirrel found in Canada and the Eastern US, plus it is being introduced to Italy, Scotland, South Africa, England and some western US states. Squirrels are more than just annoying pests that ravage your garden, get into your attics, or stuck to bottom of your car tires. They actually are a quite intelligent and interesting species. .
The physical appearance of the squirrels does not differ from male to female in size or color. They are both black and grey. This causes some people to mistake them as two different species. The backs of squirrels usually are dark to pale grey (with salt and pepper like look) and sometimes has reddish tones on their hips, feet and head. The stomachs and tails are white to pale grey. .
The most distinguishable feature of a squirrel is it's bushy tail. Sciurus is the Latin work for squirrel. If you break the word apart, skia means shadow and oura means tail. The obtained this name because grey squirrels were said to sit in the shadow of its own tail. .
The tail actually has many important functions. When jumping from tree to tree the tail acts as a rudder and helps them keep their balance. When sleeping they tend to cover themselves with the tail to keep warm. Grey squirrels warn others of danger by making a clicking noise and twitching their tail. It is also common to see squirrels with partial tails. This is because they use them as defense mechanisms. If a predator grabs them by their tail, the sheath and some vertebrae easily come loose and the squirrel can get away. .
A grey squirrel has four sets of whiskers. One above and one below the eyes, on the underside of their head by their throat, and one set on the nose. These whiskers (also known as vibrissae) are touch receptors that help the animal identify it's surroundings. Eastern Grey squirrels also have great vision.
