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Fox squirrel
Sciurus niger
Fox squirrels are one of Iowa’s largest and most recognizable squirrels. They can have reddish-brown or black coats, with the black variety being a common sight in Council Bluffs and serving as our city’s mascot.
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These adaptable squirrels thrive in forests, parks, and urban areas with mature trees.
They build nests in tree cavities or high in the branches for safety. When the trees are bare, look up – you might find a large ball of leaves and twigs. That is a squirrel nest, also known as a drey. These water-resistant homes shelter a single squirrel or a mother with pups. Females usually have two litters of 2-4 pups per year beginning in late winter.
Diurnal by nature, fox squirrels are active during the day, foraging for nuts, seeds, fruits, and occasionally insects or bird eggs. Fox squirrels bury food in a behavior called scatter hoarding, often relying on their sense of smell to find it later. By burying nuts they don’t always retrieve, fox squirrels help disperse seeds, supporting forest regeneration and a healthy ecosystem.
Learn more about squirrels from the Nebraska Wildlife Rehab and what to do if you find a squirrel pup on the ground.