Do Squirrels Hibernate? And What Do They Get Up To In Winter?

We see squirrels sitting on trees, raiding the bird feeders and gardens, and digging up holes to store nuts for the winter. Squirrels are less active during colder months, and you may ask the question: Do squirrels hibernate during winter? The simple answer is no. However, some squirrels do. 

So, what do most squirrels do during winter?

In this article, we will dig into squirrel hibernation to find out why they don’t hibernate and what these little creatures do during winter. 

For more reading, check out our list of 19 squirrel facts, some of which might surprise you. 

What does hibernation mean? 

When exploring if squirrels hibernate, let's first look at what hibernation means. 

Hibernation is an animal survival mode that involves a state of dormancy for warm-blooded animals. In this state, temperature, breathing rate, heart rate, and other metabolic activities drop to allow animals to conserve energy and survive during colder weather. 

Hibernation is more than deep sleep. The animal’s body shuts down, reducing the animal’s metabolism. They then rely on fat reserves for the energy they need to continue to breathe and stay alive and warm. This way, the animal doesn't have to search for food and water. They also don’t need to get rid of waste. 

Hibernation could take place for a few days and even months. In the animal kingdom, hibernation means different things. For example, insects go through what is called diapause. This is an extended period of extreme inactivity which could last for years. 

Do squirrels hibernate during winter? 

We get to enjoy the playfulness of tree squirrels running around during the summer and autumn seasons. They are more active during daylight hours. Some tree squirrels are also early risers. Like the eastern gray squirrel, other squirrels prefer the sunset to the sunrise. However, we see fewer squirrels around as the temperature begins to dip. 

As we mentioned earlier, not all squirrel species hibernate during winter. 

Ground squirrels are the only real hibernating squirrels. Modifying their behavior can reduce bodily functions like heart rate, breathing, and other metabolic activities. This will enable the ground squirrel to survive without eating, drinking, urinating, and carrying out other body functions during winter. 

Other squirrel species don’t have the same body mass as ground squirrels and cannot hibernate. Other squirrel species will need to eat, pee, and carry out metabolic functions at some point during the cold seasons.  

Most squirrels do not hibernate because they don’t need to. A squirrel prepares for the coming winter, gathering enough to last them the entire winter. Thanks to their photo-neuroendocrine system, a squirrel simply knows when the autumn season is wrapping up and begins to prepare for the winter. 

Where do squirrels live in the winter? 

During the winter, squirrels inhabit what is called dreys. The ground squirrels cozy up in burrows and dens deep in the ground, while the tree squirrel lives in dreys on trees. 

Generally, squirrels build themselves a drey using branches and twigs for shelter. They work to make sure their nest is warm during cold temperatures. Also, they build multiple nests as a backup plan. 

Squirrels typically nest alone unless they have their young or are caring for their litter. You can find squirrels nesting on tall trees, attics, and garages. Cleaning your gutter of nuts, acorns, and leaves is a good way to ensure squirrels stick to trees and prevent them from scampering around your garage or attic. 

What do squirrels do during winter? 

During the winter season, food supplies are scarce, and weather conditions are harsh. So, what do squirrels do during winter? Well, these wild animals have to do a lot of preparation to ensure they survive the cold winter months. 

Squirrels build nests all year round. However, squirrels make a thicker version of their summer nests during the winter. They use lots of leaves, twigs, and moss to thicken and keep their nests well-insulated. 

Squirrels tend to build more nests during the warmer seasons and stay in them during the winter to conserve their energy. They also build nests in different locations as a survival technique against predators. Squirrels also grow thicker fur to help them survive the harsh weather and retain heat from the winter sun. These extra thick furs give the squirrel a thick and darker appearance. 

Secondly, since there isn’t as much food during winter, tree squirrels create caches during summer. They store foods like berries, nuts, seeds, and insects. They stash food across different locations to ensure continuous supply and prevent it from being used up by other animals. 

Once the winter weather starts, they use their special memory and strong sense of smell to locate and move their food to other locations accurately. 

Also, squirrels try to eat as much as they can during the summer to store body fat. This body fat, known as brown fat, helps these animals survive the harsh winter weather conditions. It also provides energy when the food supply is limited. 

Squirrels fall into winter rest, reducing their activities from long hours of daily activity to about 4-5 hours. During this period, squirrels spend their time collecting and eating their food. They rely on brown fat to survive for days without eating. If weather conditions are extreme, squirrels can spend a few days sleeping. 

Types of squirrels during winter 

There are more than 200 squirrel species, and each behaves differently during the winter season. Let’s look at some of the most common species and what they do when the temperature begins to dip. 

Ground squirrels 

As the name suggests, ground squirrels live on the ground and in burrows. During warmer seasons, the ground squirrel uses the burrow as a shade to regulate its temperature. During the winter seasons, the ground squirrels hibernate deep underneath the burrows. They sometimes hibernate together with several other ground squirrels. Typically, the ground squirrel hibernates for around 5 to 8 months. 

Gray squirrels 

Unlike ground squirrels, gray squirrels take a winter rest. They build their nests in trees to protect themselves from harsh weather elements. They store food in large quantities during the summer and come back to collect their food supplies during the winter. During the winter, they spend their time sleeping for long periods. They may even sleep for as long as a few days. 

Red squirrels 

Red squirrels make nests and store food for the winter and prefer to nest in thick evergreen trees, using tree cavities for more protection. They sleep for long periods during winter. 

Flying squirrels 

These squirrels have long and slender limbs, large eyes, and a long and bushy tail that could be cylindrical or flattened. Unlike other squirrels, flying squirrels spend their winter nesting in groups. By doing this, they can lower their metabolic rates to conserve energy. However, food consumption increases when they nest in groups. You may see some squirrel activity for short periods during the winter nights. 

Read more: Flying Squirrel Facts.

Fox squirrels 

The fox squirrel is the largest species native to North America. Fox squirrels dwell on large trees and open forests. They do not hibernate but build warm nests and store foods like nuts, berries, and insects for the winter. 

Fox squirrels are solitary squirrels. However, they may nest together during the winter breeding season. For example, the female fox squirrel nests together with her young during winter. 

Do squirrels migrate? 

Some animals, like birds, migrate due to seasonal changes, cold weather, water, food searches, and environmental changes. However, most squirrels tend to stay where they are unless in search of a new habitat.

This could result from unfavorable environmental conditions like flooding, fire, famine, etc. Squirrels do not return to their home when they migrate but move permanently to their new habitat. 

Conclusion 

Squirrels go through periods of dormancy during the winter. Ground squirrels are the only species that hibernate in winter. Other tree squirrels go through winter rest to endure harsh winter conditions.