American Red Squirrel

Q: What are the chances of seeing an American Red Squirrel in Yellowstone National Park?

Likely. About 40% of wildlife watchers report an American Red Squirrel sighting in Yellowstone National Park on a given day, based on 393 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 13th most-seen of the 32 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see an American Red Squirrel in Yellowstone National Park?

September. In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report an American Red Squirrel in Yellowstone National Park on a given day, against about 20% in January, April and November, the lowest months.

Q: What time of day is best to see an American Red Squirrel?

Between 9 am and noon. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most American Red Squirrel sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Q: Is Yellowstone National Park the best place to see an American Red Squirrel?

13th of 22. Of the 22 parks where we can rate American Red Squirrel sightings, Yellowstone National Park ranks 13th at about 40%. The best odds are in Denali National Park (United States, about 80%), Isle Royale National Park (United States, about 70%) and Voyageurs National Park (United States, about 60%). All parks ranked.

Q: Which relatives of the American Red Squirrel live in Yellowstone National Park?

Same family: Sciuridae. The closest relatives of the American Red Squirrel that you can see in Yellowstone National Park (family Sciuridae, Squirrels) are Uinta Ground Squirrel (about 50%), Yellow-bellied Marmot (about 50%) and Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Q: Where does the American Red Squirrel sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the American Red Squirrel is recorded against all the mammals logged in Yellowstone National Park (393 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

Silhouette: PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassMammalia (Mammals)
OrderRodentia (Rodents)
FamilySciuridae (Squirrels)
GenusTamiasciurus (Pine Squirrels)
SpeciesTamiasciurus hudsonicus (American Red Squirrel)

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

at Yellowstone National Park

In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%

393 Verified sightings at Yellowstone National Park From 2019 to 2026

3,803 In all 22 parks

September Best month

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

Challenge Backyard Classics North AmericaMedium

About the American Red Squirrel

The American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) is one of three species of tree squirrels currently classified in the genus Tamiasciurus, known as the pine squirrels (the others are the Douglas squirrel, T. douglasii, and the southwestern red squirrel, T. fremonti). The American red squirrel is variously known as the pine squirrel or piney squirrel, North American red squirrel, chickaree, boomer, or simply red squirrel. The squirrel is a small, 200–250 g (7.1–8.8 oz), diurnal mammal that defends a year-round exclusive territory. It feeds primarily on the seeds of conifer cones, and is widely distributed across much of the United States and Canada wherever conifers are common, except in the southwestern United States, where it is replaced by the formerly conspecific southwestern red squirrel, and along the Pacific coast of the United States, where its cousin the Douglas squirrel is found instead.

The squirrel has been expanding its range into hardwood forests. American red squirrels should not be confused with Eurasian red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris); since the ranges of these species do not overlap, they are both commonly referred to as simply "red squirrel" in the... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Call0:07

Canada · 2025

Call1:02

United States · 2025

Recording0:11

United States · 2026

Marj H. · iNaturalist · CC0

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Known range (Mammal Diversity Database, Marsh et al. 2022)Our parks where it lives Our cities where it livesIn captivity: 11 zoos & centres

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Denali National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~80%
2	Isle Royale National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~70%
3	Voyageurs National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~60%
4	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~60%
5	Elk Island National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~60%
6	Cape Breton Highlands National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~50%
7	Banff National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~50%
8	Grand Teton National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
9	Kluane National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~50%
10	Jasper National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~50%
11	Great Smoky Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
12	Wrangell-St. Elias National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
13	Yellowstone National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
14	Glacier National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
15	Katmai National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
16	Gros Morne National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~40%
17	Pacific Rim National Park Reserve	🇨🇦 Canada	~40%
18	Riding Mountain National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~40%
19	Great Bear Rainforest	🇨🇦 Canada	~40%
20	Rocky Mountain National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
21	Kenai Fjords National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
22	Grand Canyon National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%

Cities Where Found

#	City	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Edmonton	🇨🇦 Canada	~50%
2	Anchorage	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
3	Toronto	🇨🇦 Canada	~30%
4	Salt Lake City	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
5	Minneapolis [Saint Paul]	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
6	Calgary	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
7	Detroit	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
8	Montreal	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
9	Boston	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
10	Chicago	🇺🇸 United States	<5%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	Ostrava Zoo	🇨🇿 Czechia	In captivity
2	Ecomuseum Zoo	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
3	Wildlife World Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
4	Hanover Zoo	🇩🇪 Germany	In captivity
5	Van Blanckendaell Park	🇳🇱 Netherlands	In captivity
6	Pyrénées Animal Park	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
7	Dierenpark Zie-ZOO	🇳🇱 Netherlands	In captivity
8	Kecskeméti Vadaskert	🇭🇺 Hungary	In captivity
9	Yumemigasaki Zoological Park	🇯🇵 Japan	In captivity
10	Almere Jungle	🇳🇱 Netherlands	In captivity
11	Wildwood Devon	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	In captivity

Show all 11 Show fewer

Closest Relatives at Yellowstone National Park

LC Endemic

Urocitellus armatus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Marmota flaviventris

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Callospermophilus lateralis

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Tamias minimus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Tamias amoenus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Tamias umbrinus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Ondatra zibethicus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Castor canadensis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Thomomys talpoides

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Erethizon dorsatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Neotoma cinerea

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Bison bison

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an American Red Squirrel in Yellowstone National Park?

Likely

About 40% of wildlife watchers report an American Red Squirrel sighting in Yellowstone National Park on a given day, based on 393 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 13th most-seen of the 32 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an American Red Squirrel in Yellowstone National Park?

September

In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report an American Red Squirrel in Yellowstone National Park on a given day, against about 20% in January, April and November, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see an American Red Squirrel?

Between 9 am and noon

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most American Red Squirrel sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Yellowstone National Park the best place to see an American Red Squirrel?

13th of 22

Of the 22 parks where we can rate American Red Squirrel sightings, Yellowstone National Park ranks 13th at about 40%. The best odds are in Denali National Park (United States, about 80%), Isle Royale National Park (United States, about 70%) and Voyageurs National Park (United States, about 60%). All parks ranked.

Which relatives of the American Red Squirrel live in Yellowstone National Park?

Same family: Sciuridae

The closest relatives of the American Red Squirrel that you can see in Yellowstone National Park (family Sciuridae, Squirrels) are Uinta Ground Squirrel (about 50%), Yellow-bellied Marmot (about 50%) and Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the American Red Squirrel sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the American Red Squirrel is recorded against all the mammals logged in Yellowstone National Park (393 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.

← Back to Yellowstone National Park

American Red Squirrel

About the American Red Squirrel

Sounds

Recent sightings of American Red Squirrel in Yellowstone National Park

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Yellowstone National Park

Uinta Ground Squirrel

Yellow-bellied Marmot

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel

Least Chipmunk

Yellow-pine Chipmunk

Uinta Chipmunk

Muskrat

American Beaver

Northern Pocket Gopher

Quiller

Bushy-tailed Wood Rat

American Bison

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an American Red Squirrel in Yellowstone National Park?

When is the best time to see an American Red Squirrel in Yellowstone National Park?

What time of day is best to see an American Red Squirrel?

Is Yellowstone National Park the best place to see an American Red Squirrel?

Which relatives of the American Red Squirrel live in Yellowstone National Park?

Where does the American Red Squirrel sighting chance come from?