Mr. Squirrel dropped in

[KJ_North]

He dropped by for a visit

 

[jeffashman]

I've don't remember ever seeing a black squirrel before! Wonderful image!

 

[KJ_North]

I've don't remember ever seeing a black squirrel before! Wonderful image!

We have a lot of them around here. Its a mix between black squirrels and a lot of grey ones as well.

 

[Jeff15]

Nice shot....

 

[Digger...]

Lol a black squirrel, brilliant.

 

[lisam]

He dropped by for a visitView attachment 274158

I didn't even realise black squirrels were a thing. I only thought there were grey and red.

 

[terri]

I've don't remember ever seeing a black squirrel before! Wonderful image!

They're very common in the North. Really cute, and can be beautiful from mixed parentage- black bodies with gorgeous red tails.

 

[terri]

We have a lot of them around here. Its a mix between black squirrels and a lot of grey ones as well.

We have them around here, too. Very nicely composed! A cute little guy.

 

[cgw]

AKA "The Tree Rat." Scourge of bird feeders and gardens.Not a fan...

 

[MitchP]

Nice shot!

 

[davholla]

I've don't remember ever seeing a black squirrel before! Wonderful image!

I was thinking that as well. In the UK grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis, an unloved American import) do sometimes have a black form but they are very rare.

I wonder what species this is.

 

[cgw]

I was thinking that as well. In the UK grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis, an unloved American import) do sometimes have a black form but they are very rare.

I wonder what species this is.

Same species, different color. Montreal has a few white squirrels. All pesky.

 

[KJ_North]

AKA "The Tree Rat." Scourge of bird feeders and gardens.Not a fan...

We actually use a "Squirrel Proof" bird seed, it is coated with hot sauce and the Squirrels wont touch it. Maybe its "Franks Red Hot" LOL

 

[KJ_North]

Black squirrel - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Black squirrels are a melanistic subgroup of squirrels with black coloration on their fur. The phenomenon occurs with several species of squirrels, although it is most frequent with the eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) and the fox squirrel (Sciurus niger). Black morphs of the eastern gray and fox squirrels are the result of a variant pigment gene. Several theories have surfaced as to why the black morph occurs, with some suggesting that the black morph is a selective advantage for squirrels inhabiting the northern ranges of the species, with the black fur providing a thermal advantage over its non-melanistic counterpart.

Black squirrels share the same natural range as their non-melanistic counterparts. Black morphs of eastern gray squirrels occur most frequently in the northern portion of its range around the Great Lakes Basin. Conversely, black morphs of fox squirrels typically occur most frequently in the southeastern portions of the species' natural range, the southeastern United States. Although they are found more frequently in those regions, the coloration remains uncommon in most areas that these species inhabit. However, black morphs of eastern gray squirrels form the majority of the species' population in the Canadian province of Ontario, and the U.S. state of Michigan. In addition to their natural range, black morphs of eastern gray squirrels were also introduced into other areas of Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries.