We live on the top of a hill, and our back yard slopes steeply down to a lower road. When we first lived here, we worried about erosion, and planted many trees on the slope. Now, 30 years later, our back deck seems to be suspended in the tree tops. And in the winter it is a great pleasure to watch the squirrels as they make their way to the bird feeders on our deck, leaping from tree to tree. They are the monkeys of Pittsburgh! We put out mixed seed and sunflower seeds for the birds, and the squirrels eat from both tube feeders. We put out bins for the squirrels, and filled them with peanuts and corn. The jays come to the bins. It doesn't matter, all are welcome to all. There are 4 varieties of squirrel in Pittsburgh, and 3 of them come to our feeders!

The fox squirrel can be found in all of the states east of the Mississippi, with the exception of New York, New Jersey and New England. Pittsburgh marks his northernmost reach along the east coast, the range halting within 50 miles of the PA. border both west and south. The fox squirrel is the largest of our local squirrels, about the size of a small cat. The coloring tends to be a reddish gray, with the fur being darker on the head and shoulders. And the body is fat, rolls of furry fat around the wrists and shoulders, looking all the world like a fat lady in a fur coat. They have big, well defined paws and a flattish tail. The fox squirrel that comes to our feeder most often we call "Big Red". He is a laid-back fellow, going about his business of emptying our feeders. He was an easy fellow to photograph. But when he is alarmed, or annoyed, he springs to the nearest branch and faces off the human or cat who has alarmed him, chattering and flicking his tail. There are several fox squirrels in our woods -- I see them chasing along the tree tops -- but they usually come to the feeder singly.

The range of the grey squirrels covers all of the eastern US except for a small area in southwestern Fla. So it is no surprise that the most numerous squirrels in our woods are the gray squirrels, there are several families with nests to be seen from our porch. These are large masses of leaves woven together high in the trees. The greys are smaller than the fox squirrel, by about a half, leaner and meaner. They will chase off the birds and squabble amongst each other over the best stocked bin. Grey squirrels are omniverous; in my own experience I have seen them eat vegetable matter other than seeds and nuts, and I once saw a gray squirrel attack and kill a small bird, and carry him off. In the summer I like to move my house plants to the porch. The grey squirrels will eat my Christmas cactus, gnawing it up and down like an ear of corn. Now that I know this, I keep the Christmas cactus inside. The greys also very bold when it comes to begging nuts from the humans inside our glass door. They have been known to come to the door, hoping for a handout. But our greys are not tame! They will not stay on the porch if the human goes outside, and certainly will not share the porch with a cat.

We are in about the most southern border of the range of the red squirrels, although they are also found in the mountains of W. Va., Va. and N.C. There, they go by the name of "chickaree" and "fairy diddle". Occasionally, very occasionally, we are visited by a red squirrel. He is significantly smaller than the gray squirrel, and very quick and nervous. He darts to the bin, grabs a mouthfull, darts away. When alarmed he seems to rise in the air, like a cartoon character! And defines the phrase, "gone in a flash!" But he is a beautiful little animal. Red above, white tummy, with a racing stripe between, and little white tufts behind his ears. I would encourage more, if I could! Somewhere I read that the red and the gray varieties of squirrel do not co-exist, and it may be that the grays chase away these cuties. I wish they wouldn't! I have seed to spare. There is another Pittsburgh squirrel I can tell you about. Never seen in the South Hills (and I've asked around!) but I have spotted these black squirrels in the east end of town - at Taylor Alderdice in Squirrel Hill, at the School for the Deaf in Edgewood and the Arts Center in Shadyside. I had a camera in hand when I spotted the black squirrel at the Arts Center; and here is my proof! They are the same size as the gray squirrel and of the same physique. I guess they are a melanic variety of the grays. In the year that this page has been up, I have received many emails reporting sightings of black squirrels. So now I can say, yes, there are black squirrels in the South Hills - 2 sighted in Bethel Park (although they may be two independant sightings of the same squirrel). And one in Allison Park in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. There are so many black squirrels in Kent, Ohio, that the University hosts a Black Squirrel Festivalevery year. Black squirrels also abound in Harvard Square (Cambridge, MA). They seem to be attracted to acedeme. Black squirrels are native to Ontario, Canada. I was delighted to see several when visiting Niagara Falls and Stratford last summer.