This area is for general discussion on Birds and Birding.
By ogopogo
#73368
this is off topic, however if anyone is doing research on Douglas Squirrels, considered to be non-existent on VI, I have one for you that might be nesting, with photos and video of it chirping aggressively like a robin. pm me.
#73383
Hi Cheryl,

Do you have a Flickr account that you can post the video to for reference?

Also, where was your encounter with Douglas Squirrel?

Thanks,
Jeremy Gatten
Saanichton, BC
#73453
Jeremy, send me a pm and I'll give you the exact location so you can check this out. Three years ago, I found one at the Riding Ring at Beaver Lake that probably came over on a horse trailer from the mainland. This one is smaller, and in a different area of Beaver Lake but not that far away from the original. I believe it is nesting but don't know if it has a Douglas mate. I'd be interested in your observations.
#73521
They may be quite rare in the greater Victoria area but out of town they are much more common. The invasive gray squirrel is much larger and as they expand their range are pushing out the smaller Douglas Squirrel
#73524
stusteelhead wrote:They may be quite rare in the greater Victoria area but out of town they are much more common. The invasive gray squirrel is much larger and as they expand their range are pushing out the smaller Douglas Squirrel
You are thinking of Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus Stuart, which is common on Vancouver Island and throughout much of the province. The Douglas' Squirrel Tamiasciurus douglasii is found on the south coast from approximately Rivers Inlet in the north and east to the Cascades (about to the eastern end of Manning Park). There is an interesting distribution of both of these squirrels on the gulf islands. I have seen Douglas' on Cortes and Texada Islands, but Red on Quadra and Read Island.

I have never heard a report of Douglas' Squirrel on Vancouver Island before. It would be nice if photos could be posted.

Nathan Hentze,
Victoria, BC
#73525
nhentze wrote:
stusteelhead wrote:They may be quite rare in the greater Victoria area but out of town they are much more common. The invasive gray squirrel is much larger and as they expand their range are pushing out the smaller Douglas Squirrel
You are thinking of Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus Stuart, which is common on Vancouver Island and throughout much of the province. The Douglas' Squirrel Tamiasciurus douglasii is found on the south coast from approximately Rivers Inlet in the north and east to the Cascades (about to the eastern end of Manning Park). There is an interesting distribution of both of these squirrels on the gulf islands. I have seen Douglas' on Cortes and Texada Islands, but Red on Quadra and Read Island.

I have never heard a report of Douglas' Squirrel on Vancouver Island before. It would be nice if photos could be posted.

Nathan Hentze,
Victoria, BC
Douglas' Squirrel may be native to Cortes, but it is introduced on Texada. Apparently since the early 1960's.

And no, I have never seen any evidence of a Douglas' Squirrel on Vancouver Island.

Guy L. Monty
Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

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