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Picture ©2000, Fishing in Wales

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Grey Squirrel - Scirus carolinensis

Naturalised to the British Isles, the Grey Squirrel was introduced from North America in 1876. Common throughout the country it has largely displaced the native Red Squirrel (Scirus vulgaris) which is now localised to a few small isolated areas. On the South coast Brownsea Island in Poole harbour has one of the last colonies of red Squirrel in the South.

The Grey Squirrel will be found in woodland, parks and urban areas, and can become reasonably tame. Body size about 30cm (12in) of mottled grey, it has a long thick bushy tail, it's colour changes during the year and can become almost reddish, but it does not have the tufted ears of the Red Squirrel which is smaller than the Grey. It feeds mainly on nuts that it gathers and then stockpiles for the winter, it raids bird tables and other food sources, being extremely agile and able to work out a route to food supposedly placed out of it's reach.

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