The main differences between a chipmunk and another squirrel species are their nesting behavior, sleep patterns, size, and physical adaptations (like chipmunks’ cheek pouches).
Chipmunks are striped, terrestrial rodents. They are the smallest members of the squirrel family (Sciuridae).[1]
At the same time, there are an estimated 279 species of squirrels.[2]
Squirrels are commonly divided into three main groups:
- Tree squirrels
- Flying squirrels
- Ground squirrels
Most people think of tree squirrels when they picture a squirrel.
What is the difference between chipmunks and tree squirrels, ground squirrels, and flying squirrels?
In this article, we look at what makes chipmunks different and similar to other types of squirrels.
Chipmunk vs. Squirrels Overview
The biggest difference between chipmunks and squirrels is that chipmunks are much smaller than most squirrel species. They also have large internal cheek pouches to transport food back to their burrows.
| Species | Chipmunks | Tree squirrels | Flying squirrels | Ground squirrels |
| Scientific Name | Tamias | Sciurinae | Pteromyini | Sciurinae subfamily |
| Description | Terrestrial squirrels with large internal cheek pouches | Broad head, small rounded ears, and short neck. They have slender bodies with long limbs, curved clawed feet, and a long, fluffy tail. | Long legs, slim bodies, large, round eyes, a long, busy tail, and a gliding membrane. that reaches from the front to back feet. | Gray and pale brown to reddish-brown and dark brown with light gray, brown, or creamy white undersides. |
| Size | 4 –7 inches (excluding their tails) | 10–18 inches (excluding the tail) | 2.8–24 inches | 6.7–11.8 inches |
| Weight | 1–5 ounces | 48–112 ounces pounds | 1.34–4.93 ounces | 3.4–30.8 ounces |
| Habitat | Plains, mountains, forests, and deserts | Forests and urban areas abundant with trees. | Deciduous and mixed coniferous forests. | Grassland, woodlands, valleys, rocky outcrops, and urban areas with short grass. |
| Diet | Omnivore | Omnivore | Omnivore | Omnivore |
| Lifespan | 2–10 years | 3–6 years | 3–5 years | 6–8 years |
Chipmunk Overview
Chipmunks (Tamias) are terrestrial rodents that are part of the squirrel family. They have large internal cheek pouches they use to transport the food back to their burrows.
There are about 25 species of chipmunks. Twenty-four species live in North America. The only one living outside North America is the Siberian chipmunk, which is native to Asia.[1]
Before we compare the differences between chipmunks and squirrels, you need to know a little about the chipmunk itself.
What Does a Chipmunk Look Like?
Chipmunks have large eyes, short legs, and alternating black, brown, and creamy white stripes.
They are the smallest creatures in the squirrel family, about 4–7 inches long (without the tail), and weigh between 1–5 ounces.[3]
What Chipmunks Eat
Chipmunks are omnivores with a varied diet:
- seeds
- berries
- plants
- fungi
- insects
- arthropods
- carrion
Chipmunks are known to hoard food for winter. They do this by stuffing seeds and nuts into their cheek pouches so they transport a lot of food back to their burrow. A chipmunk can gather up to 165 acorns a day.
Chipmunks Hibernate
Chipmunks hibernate for periods during winter.
Studies have found that eastern chipmunk’s body temperature drops from 95 to 105.8 °F to 41–44.6 °F during the hibernation period known as torpor.
What makes chipmunks’ hibernation different from their ground squirrel cousins is that most chipmunks do not accumulate extra fat in preparation for winter, as hibernating ground squirrels do.
Instead, they wake up periodically and eat food that they have hoarded. Chipmunks are known to come out of their burrows on sunny days in winter.[4]
3 Common Chipmunks in North America
Three commonly known chipmunks in North America include the following:
- Eastern chipmunks
- Least chipmunks
- Yellow-pine chipmunks
1. Eastern chipmunk
The Eastern chipmunk species (Tamias striatus) is found across the eastern United States and southeastern Canada.
They have grayish to reddish brown fur, creamy white undersides, yellowish to reddish patches on their rumps, and five dark stripes with thin white stripes between the dark stripes. Light and dark stripes occur on their face around their eyes.
They are 10.04–10.47 inches long and weigh 2.33–4.05 ounces. They have a lifespan of 2–8 years.[5]
2. Least Chipmunk
The Least chipmunk (Tamias minimus) is aptly named because they are the smallest of all the chipmunks measuring 7.28 to 8.74 inches in size and weighing between 1.48 to 1.87 ounces.
They can be found throughout North America and central and western Canada. They have a lifespan of 10 years.
Their fur is orangish-brown in color and stripped with three dark and two light stripes on the face and five dark and four light stripes along their sides. They have a grayish-white underside.[6]
3. Yellow-pine Chipmunk
Yellow-pine chipmunks (Tamias amoenus) live in coniferous forests, rocky outcrops, and meadows in the northwestern United States and southwestern Canada.
They have five evenly-spaced black stripes on their backs with pale stripes white or gray stripes in between.
They are small in size, weighing 1.06 to 2.57 ounces and measuring between 7.13 to 9.65 inches. They have an average lifespan of 3 years.[7]
Chipmunk vs. Tree Squirrel Differences
Chipmunks have stripes and are smaller than tree squirrels, they live in underground burrows while tree squirrels live in nests or dens in trees.
There are notable differences between tree squirrels, like Eastern gray squirrels, red squirrels, fox squirrels, and chipmunks: These include
- Size
- Dwelling
- Physical Appearance
- Hibernation
Chipmunk vs. Tree Squirrel Size
Tree squirrels are much larger than chipmunks. Tree squirrels range in size from 10–18 inches, excluding their long tails. Chipmunks measure between 4–7 inches in length, excluding their tails.
Chipmunk vs. Tree Squirrel Dwelling
Both chipmunks and tree squirrels built nests, but they build them in different places. Chipmunks nest in underground burrows while tree squirrels make their nests, also called drays, between the branches of trees or inside tree cavities.
Chipmunk vs. Tree Squirrel Physical Appearance
Chipmunks have internal cheek pouches that allow them to transport nuts and seeds back to their burrows. Tree squirrels do not have this physical feature.
Chipmunks have alternating black, brown, and creamy white stripes. Tree squirrels do not have stripes.
Tree squirrels have fluffy tails. Chipmunks’ tails are not as bushy and are flatter in appearance.
Chipmunk vs. Tree Squirrel Hibernation
Chipmunks are known to hibernate in the winter. They do occasionally wake up to eat some of the food that they hoarded and then go back into hibernation. Tree squirrels do not hibernate in winter.
Chipmunk vs. Tree Squirrel Similarities
Despite the differences between chipmunks and tree squirrels, they have certain behaviors in common, such as their hoarding, foraging, and activity behavior.
Here are three similarities between tree squirrels and chipmunks:
- Hoarding
- Diet
- Active times
Chipmunk vs. Tree Squirrel Hoarding Behavior
Chipmunks and tree squirrels hoard food for winter. Chipmunks hoard food in their burrows. This allows them to wake up from a period of hibernation, eat and go back to sleep.
Tree squirrels save food for winter and hoard food by burying it in the ground. This method of hoarding is referred to as scatter hoarding.
Chipmunk vs. Tree Squirrel Diet
Both tree squirrels and chipmunks are omnivores. They are both opportunistic feeders that eat a variety of plant-based foods, like seeds, nuts, berries, fruits, and flowers, as well as fungi, insects, frogs, bird eggs, small birds, and carrion.
Chipmunks are also known to eat worms.[8]
Chipmunk vs. Tree Squirrel Activity Pattern
Chipmunks and tree squirrels are diurnal. They are active during the day and sleep at night.
Both tree squirrels and chipmunks are most active in the morning and afternoon.
Related: Tree Squirrels vs. Ground Squirrels
Chipmunks vs. Flying Squirrels
The main difference between chipmunks and flying squirrels is that flying squirrels have a gliding membrane between their feet and toes, which chipmunks do not have. Other than being placental mammals and omnivores, chipmunks, and flying squirrels have little in common.
There are 50 species of flying squirrels. They live in many places:
- North America
- Central America
- Northern Asia
- Siberia
- Scandinavia
The Northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) and the Southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volan) are both native to North America.
Flying squirrels are nocturnal and are active at night. They glide between the trees using a skin flap, known as patagium, that stretches out from their wrists to their ankles and acts as a sail when they leap.[1]
Here are the main differences between chipmunks and flying squirrels:
- Different dwellings and habitats
- Different activity times
- Hibernation
- Territory and sociability
Chipmunk vs. Flying Squirrel Dwellings and Habitats
Chipmunks are terrestrial, living on the ground while flying squirrels live in trees. Although chipmunks can climb, they spend most of their time on the ground or in their underground burrows.
Flying squirrels are tree dwellers and nest in their trees. They have the amazing ability to glide long distances, thanks to a gliding membrane attached to their fore legs and hind legs.
They are graceful gliders in the trees, but they appear clumsy on the ground.
Chipmunk vs. Flying Squirrel Activity Times
Flying squirrels are Nocturnal and are most active at night. Chipmunks are diurnal and are active during the day, particularly in the early morning and late afternoon.[8]
Chipmunk vs. Flying Squirrel Hibernation
Chipmunks hibernate in winter and go into a state known as torpor. Flying squirrels do not hibernate in winter.
Chipmunk vs. Flying Squirrel Territory and Sociability
Chipmunks live alone and guard their territory against other chipmunks while flying squirrels are not territorial and are happy to share their nests with other flying squirrels.
Southern flying squirrels and Northern flying squirrels live in colonies and share a communal nest in winter to keep warm.
Chipmunk vs. Ground Squirrel Differences
Ground squirrels have a lot in common with chipmunks. They are both terrestrial squirrels and are often striped. Their main differences are their size, socialization, hibernation, and cheek pouches.
There are 62 species of ground squirrels in the world. Although they differ in size and markings, they all have long bodies, short legs, and a short to moderately-short tail.
They vary in color, though they all have light gray, brown, or creamy white undersides:
- Gray
- Pale brown
- Olive
- Reddish
- Dark brown
Most ground squirrels are also patterned with lines of spots or white to brownish black stripes.[10]
Common ground squirrels in North America include the small thirteen-lined ground squirrel and the medium-sized California ground squirrel.
Ground squirrels are diurnal omnivores that dig and sleep in underground burrows. They are for standing up on their hind legs when looking out for danger.
Differences between ground squirrels and chipmunks include:
- Size
- Cheek pouches
- Hibernation
- Socialization
Chipmunk vs. Ground Squirrels Size Differences
Ground squirrels are bigger than chipmunks. They are considered medium-sized squirrels, while chipmunks are small-sized rodents.
The body size of ground squirrels varies depending on the species, but most are medium-sized.
The African pygmy squirrel (Myosciurus pumilio) of West Africa is the smallest ground squirrel. It has a body length of 2.3–3.1 inches and weighs mere 0.4–0.7 ounces.
The Oriental giant squirrel (genus Ratufa) in Southeast Asia is the largest ground squirrel and measures between 10 to 18 inches with a tail about as long and weighs 3 to almost 7 pounds.
Chipmunk vs. Ground Squirrels Cheek Pouches
Chipmunks have unique cheek pouches that ground squirrels do not have. This pouch enables them to pick up a lot of food, store it in their cheek, and carry it back to their burrows.
Chipmunk vs. Ground Squirrels Hibernation
Both chipmunks and ground squirrels hibernate.
Ground squirrels that live in cold regions are known to hibernate in winter. It was thought that chipmunks don’t hibernate, but research has found that many do.
The difference in their hibernation behavior is that ground squirrels gain fat in preparation for winter while chipmunks do not. Instead, chipmunks hoard food for winter. They then hibernate for a while, wake up and eat from their hoarded supplies, and then go back into hibernation mode.
Ground squirrels live off their stored body fat while hibernating and usually only eat from hoarded food when waking up from hibernation in early spring.
Chipmunk vs. Ground Squirrels Socialization
Ground squirrels can live in colonies, while chipmunks are solitary animals.
Some ground squirrels live in colonies, sharing a network of burrows with different generations of ground squirrels. Some ground squirrels will also nest with family.
Chipmunks are solitary, burrow alone and defend their territory fiercely from other chipmunks.
Chipmunk vs. Ground Squirrel Similarities
Chipmunks and ground squirrels are both terrestrial squirrels that burrow underground, are active during the day, hibernate in winter, and often have stripes.
Here are a few factors that chipmunks and ground squirrels have in common:
- They dwell in burrows
- They hibernate in winter
- They have similarities in appearance
Chipmunk vs. Ground Squirrel Burrows
Both chipmunks and ground squirrels dig underground burrows. This is where they sleep, birth their young, evade predators, and hibernate in winter.
Chipmunk vs. Ground Squirrel Hibernation
Chipmunks and ground squirrels that live in cold regions are known to hibernate in winter.
Ground squirrels hibernate for longer periods than chipmunks, but both species experience a drastic drop in body temperature characteristic of the hibernation state known as torpor.
Chipmunk vs. Ground Squirrel Appearance
Both chipmunks and many ground squirrels have recognizable dark and light stripes that run along their backs.
Their markings distinguish them from other species of chipmunks and ground squirrels.
Conclusion
There are several differences and similarities between chipmunks and tree squirrels, flying squirrels, and ground squirrels.
Chipmunks have the most in common with ground squirrels and the least in common with flying squirrels.
What sets them apart from all other squirrels is their incredible cheek pouches that allow them to cram so much food in their mouths and carry it back to their burrows.
Related: Flying Sugar Glider vs. Squirrel
