Glaucomys volans
Silhouette: Chloé Schmidt · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans), sometimes called the assapan or polatouche, is a species of squirrel in the family Sciuridae. G. volans is one of three species of flying squirrels found in North America. It is found in deciduous and mixed woods in the eastern half of North America, from southeastern Canada to Florida. Disjunct populations of this species have been recorded in the highlands of Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. There are 11 subspecies that are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.
Southern flying squirrels have grey-brown fur on top with darker flanks and are a cream colored underneath. They have large dark eyes and flattened tails. They have a furry membrane called a patagium that extends from the front to the rear legs and is used to glide through the air. Total length (including tail) is 21–26 cm (8.3–10.2 in). The tail can be 8–12 cm (3.1–4.7 in).
They are nocturnal and feed on fruits and nuts from trees such as red and white oak, hickory, and beech. They store food, especially acorns, for winter consumption. They also dine on insects, buds, mushrooms, mycorrhizal fungi, carrion, bird eggs... Wikipedia →
Call0:28
United States · 2009
© Paul Driver · XC961788 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
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United States · 2022
© Maureen Clare Murphy · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
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United States · 2019
© Jessica · iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine Wildlife Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Hogle Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center and Woods Garden | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Flying Squirrel sighting in Minneapolis [Saint Paul] on a given day, based on 17 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 16th most-seen of the 23 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September and November–February
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Flying Squirrel in Minneapolis [Saint Paul] on a given day, against under 5% in March–August and October, the lowest months. Those are among Minneapolis [Saint Paul]'s driest months, with about 40 mm of rain a month against 130 mm in June.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Southern Flying Squirrel sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 8 cities where we can rate Southern Flying Squirrel sightings, Minneapolis [Saint Paul] ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Chicago (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Sciuridae
The closest relatives of the Southern Flying Squirrel that you can see in Minneapolis [Saint Paul] (family Sciuridae, Squirrels) are Eastern Gray Squirrel (about 60%), Eastern Chipmunk (about 30%) and American Red Squirrel (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Southern Flying Squirrel is recorded against all the mammals logged in Minneapolis [Saint Paul] (17 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
