As the warmth and brightness of summer give way to the colourful leaves and shorter days of autumn, the Scottish red squirrel is at their most active on the forest floor – caching food for the colder months ahead. The behaviour of red squirrels in autumn offers a window into the natural rhythm of the seasons, and it is the perfect time to go out to spot one.
If you are lucky enough to see a red squirrel, you can help contribute to their conservation. Between 30th Sept – 6th Oct Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is encouraging as many people as possible to submit their squirrel sightings as part of our annual citizen science campaign, the Great Scottish Squirrel Survey. Participating in the survey is simple and rewarding – you go outside, spot a squirrel (red or grey), and record your sighting – helping to collect valuable information that will inform future conservation action.
Find out more about the survey at scottishsquirrels.org.uk/2024-great-scottish-squirrel-survey/
But for now, let’s get into notable red squirrel behaviours to look out for this autumn!
Natural Foragers
Red squirrels will be active over the next few months as they prepare for the colder months ahead. Autumn is when their natural food sources are most available, such as seeds and nuts from trees including pine, beech, hazel and oak – a feast for the red squirrel!
As such reds will likely be easier to spot as they forage on the forest floor for mushrooms, acorns, seeds, fruits, and other seasonal foods to eat or cache for later. Urgently fattening up and collecting their winter food stores, and you will be able to spot them scurrying around, eating what they can, and burying the rest in different places.
Crafty Caching
To protect their harvest from unwanted consumers, red squirrels will often sneakily hide or ‘pretend’ cache their precious goods. Scientific research has shown this is in order to ‘bluff’ any watching animal who may try and dig up and steal the item!
Of course, red squirrels themselves can often forget where they have hidden their real stashes! Forgotten seeds, nuts and acorns will then sometimes germinate in the forest floor where they’ve been left – helping to aid natural woodland regeneration and expansion.
A Winter Coat
As the autumn months go by and the air gets colder, squirrels will shed their lighter summer coats and grow thicker and denser fur to help keep them warm during the winter. Occasionally squirrels can be spotted mid moult, with patchy fur and bare skin – if you spot this don’t worry, it’s just the summer coat having shed before the winter one grows in! To find out more take a look at the following article (written about the spring moult, but essentially about the same process): scottishsquirrels.org.uk/2017/04/26/the-riddle-of-the-balding-squirrels/
Additionally some red squirrels shed their iconic ear tufts during the summer, regrowing them in the autumn months. Although we do not know for certain exactly what the purpose of ear tufts is, it is suspected they help keep red squirrels’ ears warm during the winter months, hence the redonning once September/ October comes along!
How to Spot a Red Squirrel in Autumn
Early mornings and late afternoons are usually the best time to spot red squirrels, when they are at their most active. Look for gnawed pinecones or nibbled acorns on the ground or peer up into the trees to see if you can spot them leaping from branch to branch, now that some of the autumn leaves have shed.
Being quiet and patient is key to spotting a red squirrel.
Autumn is a time of preparation and activity for the Scottish red squirrel. Actively foraging, caching, growing in their ear tufts, and moulting their summer coat are all behaviours to make sure they survive the winter. By going outside, spotting a red squirrel, observing these behaviours, and sharing your sightings with the Great Scottish Squirrel Survey, you will have a vital role in protecting one of Scotland’s most loved species.
Report your sightings at:
scottishsquirrels.org.uk/squirrel-sightings
Rebecca Bradley (SSRS Office & Comms Volunteer)
Katie Berry (SSRS Communications & Engagement Officer)