Chipmunks are small, striped rodents belonging to the squirrel family (Sciuridae). They are often confused with their tree-dwelling relatives, but their lifestyle and habitat preferences are distinctly different. Characterized by their small size and prominent dark and light stripes, understanding where these animals make their permanent home reveals much about their survival strategies and daily behavior.
Ground Dwellers: The True Home of Chipmunks
Chipmunks are ground-dwelling animals, spending most of their lives on or beneath the forest floor. They rely on a complex system of underground tunnels for shelter and safety, rather than nesting in trees. Their preferred environments include deciduous forests, woodland edges, suburban areas, and brushlands that offer abundant cover from logs, rocks, and shrubs.
The ground provides secure, permanent housing through their burrow systems. The eastern chipmunk rarely ventures far from its subterranean home base. While chipmunks are active during the day foraging for food, they return to their burrows nightly for sleep and warmth.
Burrows are designed for safety, nesting, and food storage. The entrance hole is small, often only two inches in diameter, and is typically concealed beneath natural objects like tree roots or rocks. To maintain camouflage, the chipmunk carries excavated dirt away in its cheek pouches, scattering it far from the entrance to avoid leaving a soil mound.
When and Why Chipmunks Climb Trees
Chipmunks are capable climbers and will ascend trees for specific purposes. Climbing is an occasional excursion to take advantage of resources above the ground, not a daily activity for shelter or rest. Their physical structure allows them to climb but is not suited for a fully arboreal existence like that of tree squirrels.
The first reason a chipmunk climbs is for foraging, especially when nuts, seeds, and fruits ripen on low branches. They ascend trees to collect items like acorns or hazelnuts, quickly stuffing them into their expandable cheek pouches. They then return to the ground to store the provisions.
Another reason for climbing is to escape immediate danger from ground-based predators such as foxes or house cats. Height offers a temporary refuge, allowing the chipmunk to navigate branches and wait for the threat to pass. These trips are brief, as the chipmunk’s main security lies in its ability to dive into its burrow.
The Purpose of the Burrow System
The underground burrow system serves multiple functions beyond simple shelter. These intricate tunnels can extend up to 30 feet in length and three feet deep. They contain various chambers for specialized activities.
One chamber is dedicated to nesting, where the chipmunk sleeps and raises its young. This area is often lined with soft materials like leaves and grass for insulation. Young are born blind and helpless, remaining within the underground den for about six weeks before emerging.
Another function is food storage, where the chipmunk caches non-perishable items like seeds and nuts for the winter months. These side chambers, or larders, are stocked during the late summer and fall. Chipmunks utilize their expansive cheek pouches to transport the food to these storage areas.
The burrow provides an environment for winter survival, as chipmunks enter a state of torpor rather than true hibernation. The deep chambers offer temperature stability. This allows the animal to wake up periodically to feed on its stored provisions before returning to rest until spring.