Squirrels are not typically active at night; they are primarily diurnal animals. They are awake and active during daylight hours, resting or sleeping once the sun sets. Any sightings of what appears to be a squirrel after dark are generally uncommon and often suggest a different animal entirely. Understanding their natural rhythms helps clarify why nighttime sightings are unusual.
When Squirrels Are Active
Squirrels are most active during the day. Their daily routines involve foraging for food, including nuts, seeds, fruits, and fungi, often burying these for later. They are adept climbers, frequently seen climbing trees to access food or escape predators. Building and maintaining nests, known as dreys, also occupies their daytime.
Their physiology is well-suited for daylight activity, particularly their vision. Squirrels have eyes with many cones, allowing for color vision and sharp detail in bright light. This adaptation helps them navigate, locate food, and detect threats. Social interactions, like chasing and communicating, also occur during the day.
Understanding Nocturnal Sightings
While squirrels are predominantly active during the day, rare instances of nocturnal activity can occur under unusual circumstances. A squirrel might be disturbed from its drey by a predator, like an owl or raccoon, prompting it to flee after dark. Severe weather or a sudden threat to their nest could also force a squirrel to relocate at night. These are typically brief, reactive movements rather than sustained activity.
Artificial light sources, like streetlights or porch lights, can sometimes disorient squirrels or attract insects, potentially drawing a hungry squirrel. Easily accessible food sources left outdoors, like pet food or unsecured garbage, might entice a squirrel to venture out after sunset. However, these nocturnal appearances are exceptions and do not represent typical squirrel behavior.
Animals Often Confused with Squirrels
Many nocturnal animals are frequently mistaken for squirrels due to similar size, appearance, or movement patterns. One common culprit is the raccoon, a nocturnal mammal with a bushy tail and grayish fur, sometimes misidentified in low light. Raccoons are often seen scavenging in urban and suburban areas at night, rummaging through trash bins or raiding bird feeders. Opossums, with their grayish-white fur and pointed snouts, are another nocturnal animal mistaken for squirrels, especially when climbing fences or trees in the dark. They move more slowly than squirrels but can be similarly sized.
Rats, especially larger species like the Norway rat, are nocturnal and can be confused with squirrels due to their quick movements and tendency to run along fences or foundations. Their long, scaly tails differentiate them, though this detail is hard to discern in the dark. The most frequent source of confusion is the flying squirrel, which is nocturnal and shares the “squirrel” name. Unlike their diurnal counterparts, flying squirrels have a patagium, a furry membrane of skin from wrists to ankles, allowing them to glide between trees. They are smaller than most tree squirrels and possess noticeably large eyes, adapted for low-light vision.