If anyone has either trees in their yards, or if you have a bird feeder, you are familiar with squirrels. These acrobats, pests, robbers and property-damagers are present all over Ohio.

They are so numerous that there are hunting seasons on them. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources lists seven squirrels in Ohio: gray squirrel, red squirrel, fox squirrel, the southern flying squirrel, the thirteen-lined ground squirrel, the eastern chipmunk and the groundhog (who knew?).

The first three on the above list are the most familiar that you probably see in your neighborhood.

GRAY SQUIRREL

The gray squirrel, (Sciurus carolinensis) was introduced into the U.S. from Britain in the late 19th century.

It ranges from black to silver gray with a white abdomen and weighs 15 to 24 ounces and is 16 to 24 inches long, including the tail.

Two mating seasons in December and January, then in June, produce two litters with one to eight kits — or babies — at a time.

This squirrel is most noted for its coat variations, from black, to brown to gray, even having tails colored differently than the body. We have two in our yard, one black with a brown tail, and one with a brown body and a black tail.

RED SQUIRREL

Red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) are red-brown with a white belly. Between the coat colors is a black line to delineate colors.

In winter they grow small ear tufts to make them easier to spot. They are more grayish in winter and redder in summer.

Smaller than the gray squirrel, they measure 9 to 13 inches and weigh 4 to 8 ounces.

These prefer a coniferous to a mixed coniferous habitat, along with hardwoods.

They forage commonly on the ground and are solitary except for mating. They mate February through September with two litters of one to seven offspring per year.

FOX SQUIRREL

The largest of our tree squirrels is the fox squirrel. Its red coat turns brown-gray in winter. Its belly is tan.

This type of squirrel weighs between 1.9 and 2.2 pounds and measures 20 to 30 inches long.

These are the most playful of the squirrels. They breed twice in December and January and then in June, with the average of three young. They prefer hickory trees.

These tree squirrels do not hibernate but take deep sleeps as the weather turns cold. They live on caches they have gathered all summer long and come out on warm days to hunt and exercise.

They use their sharp nails to climb and jump from tree to tree. As rodents, they must chew to grind down their teeth.

These omnivores eat fruit, nuts, tender branches, worms, eggs, small birds, berries, insects, carrion and small rodents.

If you want to know about southern flying squirrels … stay tuned! Details on squirrels in Ohio are at https://go.osu.edu/squirrel.

Hughes is an Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer in Mahoning County.