Flying squirrels, unlike their diurnal gray and fox squirrel relatives, are entirely nocturnal and possess a furred membrane called a patagium that allows them to glide silently between trees. You will not observe them using traditional daytime squirrel-watching methods. Attracting them involves intentionally tailoring your yard’s food, shelter, and landscape elements to their specific nighttime and arboreal needs. By providing resources that mimic their natural habitat, you can encourage a local flying squirrel population to visit your property.
Identifying Nocturnal Habits and Species
The first step in attraction is understanding the flying squirrel’s schedule and the species in your area, as two distinct types exist in North America: the Northern and Southern flying squirrels. Northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus) are generally larger, prefer cooler, coniferous, or mixed forests, and their belly fur has a gray base near the skin. In contrast, the Southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans) is smaller, more adaptable to deciduous forests closer to human development, and has belly fur that is white all the way to the base.
Both species are strictly nocturnal, emerging from their daytime resting cavities around an hour after sunset to forage. Their large, dark eyes are specialized for low-light conditions. Look for activity during the darkest hours, especially in the early evening and just before dawn. If you live within their range, the sound of a soft, high-pitched chirp or rustling at a bird feeder late at night may be the first indication of their presence.
Essential Food Sources and Feeding Techniques
Flying squirrels are omnivores with a varied diet that includes nuts, seeds, fungi, fruits, and insects, making them receptive to specific feeding stations. They particularly favor acorns, hickory nuts, pecans, and the seeds found in conifer cones. They are also attracted to suet and black oil sunflower seeds, often visiting bird feeders at night.
To offer a simple, high-protein food source, you can create a mixture using peanut butter, rolled oats, and various chopped nuts. This mixture can be formed into small balls and placed on a dedicated feeding platform. Avoid placing food on the ground, as this exposes them to terrestrial predators and encourages competition with raccoons and opossums.
A specialized feeding station should be a simple, open platform or a small, lidded feeder box mounted directly to a tree trunk at a height of about five feet. For a feeder box, an entrance hole of 1.5 inches or less is recommended, as this size allows the flying squirrel entry while excluding larger competitors like gray squirrels.
Providing Suitable Shelter and Nesting Sites
Flying squirrels are cavity-dwellers, relying on pre-existing holes in trees for their daytime rest and to raise their young. In areas where natural tree cavities are scarce, providing artificial nest boxes is an effective way to encourage permanent residency. These artificial shelters should be constructed from untreated softwood, such as pine, that is approximately 3/4 to 1 inch thick, which provides insulation without the harmful chemicals found in treated lumber or paint.
The dimensions of the entrance hole are the most important feature for a nest box, as the small opening prevents larger animals from taking residence. For Southern flying squirrels, the entrance should be exactly 1.25 inches in diameter, while 1.5 inches may be used if you are targeting the slightly larger Northern species. Place the nest box high on a mature tree trunk, ideally between 10 and 26 feet off the ground, with the entrance hole facing away from the prevailing winds to keep the interior dry.
Installing multiple boxes in close proximity is beneficial, as flying squirrels are social and will often nest communally, especially during the winter months to conserve heat. They will also use these alternate sites for predator avoidance and to avoid parasite build-up. If your property has dead standing trees, known as snags, leave them intact if they do not pose a safety risk, as their natural crevices are prime den sites.
Creating a Safe, Welcoming Landscape
Managing the landscape ensures a safe and supportive habitat beyond just feeders and boxes. Flying squirrels rely on the tree canopy for movement, using their gliding membrane to travel between trees. Maintaining a dense, connected canopy is essential, and you should avoid excessive trimming or removing mature trees that bridge gaps between sections of your yard.
Minimizing threats is important for encouraging a stable population. Domestic outdoor cats are predators of flying squirrels and should be kept indoors to protect the local wildlife. Avoid using rodenticides or other chemical pesticides in your yard, as these toxins can directly harm the squirrels or eliminate their food sources, such as insects and fungi.
A welcoming habitat also includes elements that support their varied diet and hydration. Allowing leaf litter, fallen logs, and moss to remain on the forest floor supports the growth of fungi and insects, which are components of their omnivorous diet. While they can get moisture from their food, having a source of water nearby, such as a small pond or a clean bird bath, can make the location more appealing.