North American Tree Squirrels

Written with clarity and wit by two top scientists,North American Tree Squirrelsilluminates the everyday lives of gray and fox squirrels, the two most dominant types of tree squirrels of the eastern United States. Drawing on more than twenty years of research, Michael A. Steele and John L. Koprowski detail the behavior, reproduction, diet, physiology, and habitat use of these engaging rodents, as well as their complex interdependent relationships with seed-producing trees. The authors compare and contrast tree squirrels with other members of their family, including ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots, and prairie dogs. In addition to scientific revelations, the authors describe their fieldwork, from the pitfalls of patrolling forests at night in order to check nest boxes to the challenges of fitting squirrels with radio-tracking collars.

Michael A. Steele is associate professor of biology at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania and a member of the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel recovery team.