Eastern Chipmunk
From Freepedia
| Eastern Chipmunk | ||||||||||||||
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| Tamias striatus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
The Eastern Chipmunk, Tamias striatus, is a small squirrel-like rodent found in eastern North America, a member of the chipmunk genus, Tamias.
They have reddish-brown fur on their upper parts with 5 dark brown stripes and contrasting light brown stripes along their backs and light underparts. They have a tawny stripe that goes from their whiskers to below their ears and light stripes over their eyes. They have a dark tail. Like other chipmunks, they transport food in food pouches in their cheeks.
They live in deciduous woods and urban parks in southern Canada and the eastern United States. They prefer locations with rocky areas and shrubs to provide cover.
They climb trees well but construct underground nests with extensive tunnel systems, often with several entrances. They store food in their burrows. During winter, these animals enter long periods of torpor, but do not truly hibernate.
These animals are mainly active during the day, spending most of their day foraging for food. They eat bulbs, seeds, fruits, nuts, green plants, mushrooms, insects, worms, bird eggs and smaller mammals. Predators include hawks, foxes, raccoons, weasels, snakes and house cats.
Eastern chipmunks defend their burrow and live solitary lives, except during mating. Females produce 1 or 2 litters of 4 to 5 young.
They have several bird-like chipping calls.
