Squirrels, with their bushy tails and agile movements, are a common daytime sight. While most common squirrel species are active during daylight, people sometimes report seeing them after dark. These nocturnal sightings are typically rare occurrences or instances of mistaken identity, rather than typical behavior.
Understanding Daily Squirrel Habits
Most squirrel species, including common tree squirrels like the Eastern gray squirrel, are diurnal. Their activity peaks in the early morning and late afternoon. During these hours, squirrels forage for food, such as nuts, seeds, fungi, insects, and fruits. They rely on excellent daytime vision to spot food sources and detect potential threats.
Their eyes are adapted for bright conditions, with a wide field of vision that helps them rapidly detect predators like hawks or cats. This visual acuity is less effective in low light, making nighttime movement riskier. Retreating to their nests or dreys at night provides safety from nocturnal predators like owls, foxes, and raccoons, allowing them to rest and conserve energy.
Unusual Nocturnal Sightings Explained
While squirrels generally sleep at night, they can occasionally be observed moving after dark. A squirrel might briefly emerge from its nest if it becomes hungry or needs to urinate. Unusual warmth or bright artificial lights can also disrupt their sleep patterns, prompting temporary activity.
Loud noises or disturbances, such as construction or nearby predators, can startle squirrels, causing them to flee and seek new shelter at odd hours. A young or disoriented squirrel might also find itself out late, attempting to find its way back. Activity just before sunrise or immediately after sunset can also be mistaken for true nocturnal movement, as some squirrels exhibit crepuscular tendencies.
Identifying Other Nighttime Animals
When an animal resembling a squirrel is seen at night, it is often a different nocturnal creature. The flying squirrel is a notable exception, being strictly nocturnal. Unlike tree squirrels, flying squirrels possess a patagium, a specialized membrane of skin stretching between their limbs, allowing them to glide between trees. They also have large eyes adapted for excellent night vision.
Other animals commonly mistaken for squirrels at night include raccoons, identifiable by their distinctive black mask and ringed tail, and opossums, recognized by their pointed snout, hairless tail, and slow, deliberate movements. Rats and mice are smaller nocturnal rodents that create scratching or scurrying noises and leave small droppings or gnaw marks. Domestic or feral cats are also active at night and can be mistaken for squirrels due to their size and agility.