Black Squirrels

[Bekeart]

The Black Cat Day caused SWMBO to have me post about the local population of Black Squirrels.

There are at least three Resident Black Squirrels in the neighborhood.
(based on the largest group sighted)

I was aware of the population of White Squirrels in Olney, Illinois.

I have seen numerous red squirrels and numerous gray squirrels,
but no pink pachyderms

white squirrels have been s potted in Olney, IL; Versailles, IL; Hodgenville, KY; Marionville, MO; Trenton, NJ; Bloomfield, NY; Greenwood, SC; and Kenton, TN.

For a very detailed discussion of squirrel colors check the following.

What's Up With White Squirrels and Black Squirrels?
A guide to squirrels of a different color.
By Matthew L. Miller

What’s Up With White Squirrels and Black Squirrels?

Bekeart

 

[turnerriver]

There is a population of leucistic white squirrels in Brevard, NC about 30 miles from our home in the western mountains. We have a couple of them here that have survived and been around for years. It’s always a treat to see them and point them out to visitors.
Regards,

 

[Faulkner]

I started squirrel hunting with my dad when I was about 5 years old and I've seen a lot of black squirrels in southern Arkansas near the Louisiana border. All the ones I've taken were fox squirrel variants.

I once saw sign of squirrels eating out of a large pecan tree at a old abandoned farm place so I set up the next day before daylight with my .22 Browning BL-22. Shortly after daylight the squirrels made their way to the pecan tree and of the dozen or so they were all black except one red fox squirrel. I could have easily taken half a dozen but I decided to get just one so I could take it back and show everyone. For years afterwards I'd see black squirrels in that area while deer hunting.

 

[JcMack]

I see one or two occasionally in my neighborhood but:

There are many places in the northwest suburbs of Chicago where you can see black squirrels, including:
Des Plaines: Some say there is a stable population of black squirrels in Des Plaines
Evanston to Zion: Some say the area from Evanston north to Zion is where you're most likely to see a black squirrel
Near West Chicago: Some say black squirrels are spreading into the Near West Chicago neighborhoods
The Loop: Some say black squirrels are spreading into the Loop
Almanac: Black Squirrels - Amherst Indy
Black squirrels, also known as black morphs, are a rare "melanistic form" of the gray squirrel. They are unusual in Chicago and stand out in the population of gray squirrels.
Black squirrels can also be found in other parts of Illinois, including Fisher and Gibson City.
Black squirrels are also the mascot of Marysville, Kansas, where about one-fifth of the squirrel population is black.

This info attributed to an article in the Chicago Sun Times and Tribune

 

[Ingramite]

The black rock squirrel in the Texas Hill Country make great gravy.

 

[charlie sherrill]

I've never seen any near where I live but I have seen them in Gadsden,Ala. and along the Mississippi River north of Vicksburg. I saw a white squirrel in a river bottom near State Line, Ms. while hunting years ago. I did not shoot it because I figured it was going to have a hard time surviving anyway. We have mostly gray squirrels with an occasional fat Red Fox Squirrel. When it cools off a little I'll be warming up the squirrel skillet again.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Never shot a Black Squirrel,
But unfortunately I did shoot a three legged squirrel.
Took a lot of Flak over that!
It did appear that he was born that way.
But even it that was true, it really didn’t matter,
Cause I shot a three legged squirrel!

 

[arjay]

I’ve never seen a white or black one down here in the burbs,but there are loads of fox squirrels around. Up around 7-8000’ you’ll see Aberts squirrels,they’re small and black with tassels atop there ears. Shot one when I was young. Not enough meat on them for the effort and I think they’re protected?

 

[Puller]

I used to see a number of them in the Tallahassee River bottoms while hunting in my younger days. They've pretty much logged all that area so I doubt there are any left.

 

[pasound]

The neighborhood where I live in Charleston WV is about a quarter-mile from the State Capitol campus, where the lawn and the trees there are like an old-growth forest with huge nut trees everywhere. The surrounding neighborhood is very similar. Thus a lot of squirrels - grey, brown, red, and black. They seem to separate into different color groups on the corners of the campus, but recently I've seen blacks with grey or red tails, reds with black tails, greys with black tails and ears. Even a few blacks with white undersides. Quite a variety.

 

[Golddollar]

I had to look this up to make sure I was remembering things correctly. Many years ago I went on a visit to Kent State University in Ohio. Whoever met us there told us about the black squirrels that were all around on campus. Now there is actually a Black Squirrel Festival that is held there.

 

[pasound]

Just looked out my front door and a black squirrel was burying an acorn in the flower bed. He (she?) then ran across the street and buried one in the neighbor's yard. Cute, healthy looking, fat, well-furred, ready for winter.

 

[Baggy Wrinkle]

In the small town of Afton, MN on the St Croix River, just east of St Paul we have had grey squirrels forever. In recent years very aggressive small red squirrels have moved in to challenge the grey squirrels for the droppings under our bird feeders. Then, starting last year the black squirrels arrived. They are larger than the reds and slightly smaller than the greys but with bushy tails like the greys. What’s going on with these critters? At our permanent residence in the PNW there are only grey squirrels.

 

[Erich]

Never shot a Black Squirrel,
But unfortunately I did shoot a three legged squirrel.
Took a lot of Flak over that!
It did appear that he was born that way.
But even it that was true, it really didn’t matter,
Cause I shot a three legged squirrel!

There is a population of melanistic Abert's squirrels up in the Sandias behind where you live. Go get 'em!

 

[Super Trucker]

Growing up in SE Michigan all we saw were tan/brown squirrels. Occasionally up north we would see a grey one but not often.
Now there are no brown ones, a few grey and the rest are black here in the same area.
Tree rats is what we call them.

Our dobermans use them as toys, they catch them shake them like a toy and leave them by the back door for us to dispose of.

 

[armadillo]

In central Texas black squirrels live in the rocks. Some are all black some are black on the front half or the back half.

 

[robvious]

They are common enough to not be that special around here.. and across the Missouri River in Iowa (Council Bluffs) the city uses the black squirrel as the mascot... they have statues all over too... they are just a color variation of the red fox squirrels.. but kinda cute

 

[Empe]

It's mostly gray squirrels here in Pennsylvania but there are small pockets of black squirrels in some small towns that I have seen .
They're not very common here though.

 

[peyton]

We live northeast of San Antonio and there is black squirrels all over the neighborhood now. Were also have the grey squirrels.
We have lived in the same place for 20 years and don't remember seeing them when we moved in.
So do these critters migrate? I can't tell you how they taste, wife won't allopw plinking in the backyard. Then she gripes because the squirrels are eating her tomatoes in the garden!!

 

[djohns6]

My sister lives in Baton Rouge . They had two white squirrels that would raid her bird feeders . After two years they disappeared .
I was Deer hunting in the Cat Island swamp one morning and a black Squirrel ran out on a limb and raised hell at me for a few minutes . First and only time to see one .