The Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys volans) is one of two species of the genus Glaucomys, the only
flying squirrels found in North America (the other is the somewhat larger Northern Flying Squirrel, G. sabrinus). It is found in deciduous and mixed woods in eastern North America, from southern Ontario, southeast Quebec and Nova Scotia in Canada, to Ohio
and Maine in the USA and into Mexico as well as relict populations in Central
America.
They have grey brown fur on top with darker flanks and are lighter underneath. They have large dark eyes and a flattened grey
tail. They have a furry membrane called a patagium which extends between the front and rear legs, used to glide through
the air.
Southern flying squirrels feed on mast from trees such as red and white oak, hickory and beech. They store food, especially acorns, for winter consumption. They also dine on insects, buds, mushrooms,
mycorrhizal fungi, carrion, bird eggs and nestlings and flowers.
Although the squirrels will make outside nests, especially in pine woods, they prefer to
nest in holes in dead trees or "snags". They often use these nesting holes communally, especially in winter, when huddling gives
them significant energy savings. They readily use artificial nest boxes. They choose holes with smaller entrances than those used
by the sympatric Eastern gray
squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis. Sometimes they use holes that have been made by woodpeckers such as the Red-cockaded
Woodpecker Picoides borealis; since this is an endangered species,
the squirrels are sometimes removed from areas where the woodpeckers nest, though the usefulness of this practice has been
disputed. They tend to avoid areas of forest that have been harvested recently. Both in the wild and in captivity they can
produce two litters each year, in early spring and mid-summer.
Southern flying squirrels show substantial homing abilities, and can return to their nests if artificially removed to distances of up to a kilometre. Their
home ranges may be up to 40,000 square metres for females and double that for males, tending to be larger at the northern extreme
of their range.
In the USA, southern flying squirrels are often successfully kept as pets. Their large
eyes and feathery tails make them extremely appealing, and if acquired young they readily accept handling and bond to their
owners.
Predators include owls, hawks and raccoons. Domestic house cats can be dangerous to these
animals. Although graceful in flight, they are particularly vulnerable on the ground.
References
- Fridell, R. A., & Litvaitis, J. A. (1991). Influence of resource distribution and abundance on home-range characteristics
of southern flying squirrels. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 69, 2589-2593.
- Mitchell, L. R., Carlile, L. D., & Chandler, C. R. (1999). Effects of southern flying squirrels on nest success of
red-cockaded woodpeckers. Journal of Wildlife Management, 63, 538-545.
- Sawyer, S. L., & Rose, R. K. (1985). Homing in and ecology of the southern flying squirrel Glaucomys volans in
southeastern Virginia. American Midland Naturalist, 113, 238-244.
- Stapp, P., Pekins, P. J., & Mautz, W. W. (1991). Winter energy-expenditure and the distribution of southern flying
squirrels. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 69, 2548-2555.
- Stone, K. D., Heidt, G. A., Baltosser, W. H., & Caster, P. T. (1996). Factors affecting nest box use by southern flying
squirrels (Glaucomys volans) and gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis). American Midland Naturalist,
135, 9-13.
- Stone, K. D., Heidt, G. A., Caster, P. T., & Kennedy, M. L. (1997). Using geographic information systems to determine
home range of the southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans). American Midland Naturalist, 137,
106-111.
- Taulman, J. F. (1999). Selection of nest trees by southern flying squirrels (Sciuridae: Glaucomys volans) in Arkansas.
Journal of Zoology, 248, 369-377.
- Taulman, J. F., Smith, K. G., & Thill, R. E. (1998). Demographic and behavioral responses of southern flying squirrels to
experimental logging in Arkansas. Ecological Applications, 8, 1144-1155.
- Thomas, R. B., & Weigl, P. D. (1998). Dynamic foraging behavior in the southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys
volans): test of a model. American Midland Naturalist, 140, 264-270.
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