Chipmunks are very vocal and some of the calls sound like bird chirps. The chipmunk makes a variety of calls including clucks calls and high-pitched chips. One study of a least chipmunk's food caches revealed some 478 acorns and over 2000 cherry pits. Tree squirrels feed mostly on plant material, including seeds, nuts, acorns, tree buds, berries, leaves, and twigs. Tree squirrels are 12 to 20 inches (38 - 52 cm) in length, including the tail. Ground squirrels range from 8 to 12 inches (25 - 30 cm) in length. They all have short fur and small rounded ears.Ĭhipmunks range from 6 to 12 inches (16 - 30 cm) in length. A tree squirrel is larger, has a longer tail and no stripes.
The ground squirrel has body stripes like chipmunks, but no head stripes. What is the difference between a chipmunk and a squirrel?Ĭhipmunks are small mammals with distinct stripes, while the tree squirrel is larger and doesn't have stripes. They do not have stripes on the head or body. Tree squirrels are larger that chipmunks and ground squirrels. They look similar to chipmunks, but do not have stripes on the head. Ground squirrels are small striped mammals native to wooded and open rocky areas. They are usually classed either as a single genus Tamias, or as three.
Note the stripes on the head, back and tail. (Wikipedia)Ĭhipmunks are small striped squirrels native to North America and Asia. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots (including woodchucks), flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae.
Chipmunk and Squirrel Identification - NatureMappingĬhipmunks and Squirrels Learn how to identify Chipmunks and Squirrels.