Southern Flying Squirrel
The
southern flying squirrel, Glaucomys volans, is one of the
smallest Oklahoma squirrels — measuring only eight to 10 inches
long — but its long distance flights of up to 200 feet make up
for any shortcomings in size. Actually, despite the name, the
southern flying squirrel doesn’t actually fly — it glides. The
difference? Flying requires an unassisted gain in altitude,
while gliding can be described as “descending with style.”
Regardless of the terminology, watching this squirrel travel
from tree to tree is quite a treat!
These arboreal rodents are able to gracefully travel long
distances by way of two adaptations. The first is its thin layer
of fur-covered skin, or patagium, extending from the fore feet
to the back feet. When stretched tight, this patagium acts as an
umbrella, allowing the squirrel to glide through the air. The
second adaptation is the flattened tail. Almost half of the
total body length, the tail acts as a stabilizer and also helps
when balancing on small limbs.
Although primarily gray with a cream colored stomach, there are
reports of reddish brown flying squirrels. This small rodent
weighs only three ounces at adulthood — slightly more than a
regulation tennis ball. The only nocturnal member of the
squirrel family, flying squirrels have large eyes that help them
navigate in the dark, and a three to four-inch tail.
Found in deciduous forests — primarily in stands of oak,
hickory, or walnut — the southern flying squirrel is best known
in the eastern half of the state. Even so, they have been
recorded as far west as Comanche Co. in southwestern Oklahoma.
These squirrels rely on fruit or nut producing trees for food
and nesting habitat. Although nuts make up the bulk of the
flying squirrels diet, they are one of the most omnivorous of
squirrels — feeding on everything from flower blossoms to bird
eggs. Another distinction between the flying squirrel and other
tree squirrels is the feeding pattern. Flying squirrels cut a
uniform circle on the side or end of each nut, leaving the shell
intact. Other tree squirrels crush the shell to reach the meat.
Southern flying squirrels are cavity nesters, using their nest
throughout the year. These squirrels often use cavities that
were originally excavated by woodpeckers, sometimes even causing
woodpeckers to abandon the nest. Entrance holes to the squirrel
nests are generally larger than one inch in diameter and the
cavity is lined with bark and leaves. These rodents typically
breed twice a year—once in late winter, and again in mid to late
summer. The litter ranges from one to six, but often contains
only two to three young, weighing only a quarter of an ounce
each at birth. The nestlings are able to glide eight weeks
later.
Due to the nocturnal lifestyle, little is known about the
southern flying squirrel’s distribution or conservation status,
but recent research has shown that these squirrels have a larger
Oklahoma distribution than previously known. Predators of the
southern flying squirrel include birds of prey, snakes, and
increasingly, domestic cats.
With a sharp eye and a little luck combined with a sightseeing
or camping trip in Oklahoma’s eastern deciduous forest, you may
be able to catch a glimpse of the unique southern flying
squirrel as it glides across the night sky.