Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

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 Eastern Chipmunk (Sciuridae: Tamias striatus)

There are several species of Chipmunks in North America, but only one (the Eastern Chipmunk) lives in the Eastern Deciduous Forest. The species occurs throughout the eastern United States and southeastern Canada.

Identifying Features: The Eastern Chipmunk is characterized by the black-bordered yellow-white stripe along the side of the body. There is a white and black strip running through the eye. The tail is long and bushy.

Similar Species: The Least Chipmunk (Eutamias minimus) is a primarily boreal species, but sometimes reaches the northern and western borders of the Eastern Deciduous Forest in Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern Michigan, and western Ontario. The Least Chipmunk (3.65 to 4.5 inches in length) is smaller than the Eastern Chipmunk (5 to 6 inches in length). The stripes on the side of the body of the Least Chipmunk continue all the way to the base of the tail. The stripes of the Eastern Chipmunk stop well short of the base of the tail.

Habitat: The Eastern Chipmunk is most commonly found in forests, brushy areas, city parks, and suburban areas with mature trees.

Food: The Eastern Chipmunk eats a wide variety of food types including seed, nuts, insects, bird eggs, and even meat if it can get it. They will raid bird feeders, but are not nearly as artistic about it as the Gray Squirrel. Chipmunks can be attracted by placing seeds out on a platform they can reach.

Behavior: Chipmunks are abroad during the daytime. They stay in burrows in the ground, in rock walls, and beneath piles of brush. They commonly store food in their dens. Eastern Chipmunks hibernate during the winter, but will come out on warm, sunny days. The Eastern Chipmunk can live up to 8 years, but most live 2 to 4 years. Eastern Chipmunks are highly territorial.

Reproduction: Eastern Chipmunks have 2 litters a year with 2 to 8 young in each litter.

Notes: The Chipmunk is our favorite animal. This year we have one living in the rock wall near our front door who comes out to watch us when we come home at night. We wave, but he doesn't wave back. Eastern Chipmunks have a bad habit of digging up flower bulbs and some people try to get rid of them because of it. You can protect your flower bulbs against chipmunks and in our opinion we would much rather have chipmunks around than tulips.