Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys volans)

County List:

Rule:

Forested or Mixed Forested/Nonforested Landscapes

      (Oak (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Assorted Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Northern Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Northern Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Upland Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Bottomland Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
   containing:
      (Mast and Dead Down Woody Debris and Snags and Living Cavity Trees)

Habitat List:

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Literature:

It prefers open, deciduous woodlands that contain a few shrubby thickets scattered among mature trees. The openness apparently makes gliding less hazardous, and the thickets provide cover when the squirrel is on the ground. Along the northern edge of its range, it occupies mixed coniferous/deciduous woods, especially where deciduous trees dominate. Extensive forest tracts, small woodlots, and even urban parks offer potential home sites.

The southern flying squirrel uses tree cavities, particularly abandoned woodpecker holes, as its favored nest site and occasionally evicts songbirds that were already nesting in the hollow. Although it occasionally builds an external nests of sticks and leaves, it uses such exposed nests to a lesser extent than other tree-dwelling squirrels.

Nuts especially hickory nuts, are the primary food. Fruit, bark, buds, twigs, mushrooms, and lichens are also eaten, particularly in spring when nut caches are depleted. The southern flying squirrel eagerly feasts on animal matter, such as moths, beetles, nestling birds, bird eggs, and carrion.

Habitat: Mature, deciduous and mixed forests especially beech-maple, oak-hickory, and aspen.

Special Habitat Requirements: Several nest sties per individual, mature woodland with cavity trees. Favors cavities with entrance diameters of 1.6 to 2 inches.

Habitat Preferences: The southern flying squirrel's inconspicuous, nocturnal habits perhaps account for the spotty records of the species. Certainly, the animals require tree growth and prefer hardwoods which produce seed crops. The tree stands should be parklike with scattered thickets, probably for effective gliding. Mature beech, maples, oaks, and hickories may be preferred, with southern flying squirrels occurring in extensive forests as well as small woodlots, old orchards, city parks, and on campuses. In Michigan, southern flying squirrels have been observed in elm groves, oak-hickory association, small oak and pine, upland oak-hickory, and lowland elm-maple, aspen and scattered oaks, virgin hardwoods, and narrow ecotones between northern forest and swamp featuring northern white cedar, eastern hemlock yellow birch and some ash and maple in Emmet County.

Behavior: Southern flying squirrels spend considerable time on the forest floor and on felled logs, although authorities differ as to just how much time.

Southern flying squirrels spend most of their summer and winter daylight hours in tree holes. Most observers have reported that the availability of nest cavities is more important that the species of trees. Southern flying squirrels often enlarge woodpecker holes; the squirrels require an opening of 1.5 to 2 inches. Banfield noted that abandoned holes of Downy Woodpeckers in poplar trees are frequently used. Southern flying squirrels also selected a wide array of other inside den sites. They are especially attracted to nest boxes. Lowery found the squirrels nesting in a Purple Martin house, also occupied by the birds. In Michigan, flying squirrels have used wooden nest boxes built in trees, spaces in attics, a ledge in a car port in Okemos, and double walls in a school house at Onondaga. Outside leaf nests are also used by flying squirrels but to a lesser extent than by other tree squirrels.

Food Habits: Southern flying squirrels forage in trees and on the adjacent forest floor year around; stored nuts and acorns are the major dependable staple foods. Moisture is obtained in the non-frigid months from succulent foods, surface pools, and from water in tree boles. In spring, when caches of nuts may be depleted, tree buds and bark provide some essential nourishment. Late spring brings a flurry of insects which southern flying squirrels eat readily. Nesting birds also lose eggs and young to hungry flying squirrels. Dolan and Carter concluded that flying squirrels are among the most carnivorous of sciurids. In summer ripening seeds and fruits become part of the southern flying squirrel's diet, while larval and adult insects continue as select foods.