![]() Gray squirrels are more common in bottomlands and rivers with a bushy understory, and fox squirrels are more common along higher ridges. None of these are likely to be confused with the two tree squirrels described here. Similar species: Other members of the squirrel family (Sciuridae) that live in Missouri are the eastern chipmunk, woodchuck, thirteen-lined ground squirrel, Franklin's ground squirrel, and southern flying squirrel. In Missouri, black or albino individuals occur rarely. The eastern fox squirrel ( Sciurus niger) is heavy-bodied and larger than the gray squirrel the fringe of the tail and belly are reddish yellow the back and sides of the body are reddish yellow mixed with gray (rarely, the body may be all black) the total length (tip of nose to tip of tail) reaches 29 inches. Albino individuals occur occasionally in some instances where this characteristic is common in the heredity of a local population, small colonies of albinos may be formed. Sometimes black individuals occur in the same litter with gray ones these may be entirely glossy black or show various gradations between black and gray. The eastern gray squirrel ( Sciurus carolinensis) is slender and smaller than the fox squirrel the fringe of the tail and belly are white the back and sides of the body are gray (rarely reddish or all black) the total length (tip of nose to tip of tail) reaches 21 inches. The names aptly describe their general coat color: the first is usually gray, the other is usually reddish yellow. ![]() The eastern gray squirrel and eastern fox squirrel are the most common members of the squirrel family in Missouri.
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