Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) is in the Squirrels family (Sciuridae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 160,393 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Eastern Fox Squirrel: observations by month (U.S.)
About Eastern Fox Squirrel
The fox squirrel (Sciurus niger), also known as the eastern fox squirrel or Bryant's fox squirrel, is the largest species of tree squirrel native to North America. Despite the differences in size and coloration, they are sometimes mistaken for American red squirrels or eastern gray squirrels in areas where the species co-exist.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Eastern Fox Squirrel by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 59,335 | April | Sep–May |
| California | 48,331 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Colorado | 6,771 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Michigan | 5,300 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Ohio | 5,059 | May | Sep–Jul |
| Indiana | 4,198 | April | Feb–Jun |
| Utah | 3,679 | April | Mar–May |
| Illinois | 3,672 | April | Aug–May |
| Oklahoma | 3,088 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Oregon | 2,844 | April | Aug–Jun |
| Idaho | 2,400 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Nebraska | 2,000 | April | Mar–Dec |
| Iowa | 1,381 | September | Aug–Jul |
| Kansas | 1,294 | April | Jan–Oct |
| Pennsylvania | 1,133 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Florida | 1,110 | May | Oct–May |
| Arkansas | 1,104 | May | Sep–Jun |
| Missouri | 1,068 | September | Aug–Jun |
| Louisiana | 864 | April | Jan–May |
| Montana | 558 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Washington | 534 | April | Sep–Jun |
| South Dakota | 504 | April | Mar–Dec |
| Virginia | 421 | April | Sep–Jul |
| Alabama | 420 | May | Apr–Mar |
| North Carolina | 392 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Tennessee | 337 | April | Sep–Jul |
| West Virginia | 306 | April | Feb–Apr |
| Wyoming | 290 | April | Feb–Aug |
| Georgia | 279 | May | Mar–Jul |
| New Mexico | 276 | September | Sep–Nov |
| Minnesota | 272 | May | Sep–Jul |
| Wisconsin | 229 | May | Sep–Jun |
| Kentucky | 217 | April | Sep–Jun |
| Mississippi | 190 | March | Aug–Jun |
| North Dakota | 189 | September | Aug–Feb |
| Maryland | 143 | January | Dec–Nov |
| South Carolina | 82 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Nevada | 66 | April | Mar–Apr |
| New York | 38 | April | Aug–Jun |
| Arizona | 14 | March | Mar–Mar |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related mammals (Squirrels)
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Eastern Chipmunk
California Ground Squirrel
Groundhog
American Red Squirrel
Common Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel
Western Gray Squirrel
Yellow-bellied Marmot
Photography tips
- Keep a legal and safe distance: 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from other large animals in national parks.
- Dawn and dusk are peak activity times for most mammals.
- Use your car as a blind on wildlife drives.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Eastern Fox Squirrel?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from August to June.
Where is Eastern Fox Squirrel most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, California, Colorado.