Douglas squirrel
Tamiasciurus douglasii
Mammal
A small, loud Pacific-coast tree squirrel that cuts green conifer cones and stockpiles them in damp middens at the base of trees, where the cones stay closed and the seed keeps. The midden piles of stripped scales are one of the most obvious signs of its presence in a conifer wood.
Plants in the catalog
Seed plants · 2
Cuts green cones and stockpiles them in damp ground middens, where the closed cones keep the seed; the stripped-scale piles are an obvious field sign.
Cuts green cones and stockpiles them in damp ground middens, where the closed cones keep the seed; the stripped-scale piles are an obvious field sign.
Range
Pacific coastal and montane conifer forest from southwestern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon into the Sierra Nevada of California.
Sources & citations
Cite this page
Use this citation for the Plotwright wildlife page. The source cards below show the upstream references behind the taxonomy, range, conservation, host, forage, and habitat claims.
Plotwright. (n.d.). Douglas squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii). Retrieved 2026, July 31, from https://plotwright.com/wildlife/douglas-squirrel
Sources for wildlife facts
11 cited fact fields are backed by the source cards below.
Animal Diversity Web: Tamiasciurus douglasii
Species account for conifer-cone harvesting, midden caching, habitat, and Pacific-coast distribution.
Backs 4 fields
Taxonomy
Range
Foraging
Lifecycle
GBIF: Tamiasciurus douglasii
GBIF backbone key 2437281 is an exact accepted match for Tamiasciurus douglasii in family Sciuridae.
Backs 2 fields
Taxonomy
Range
iNaturalist: Tamiasciurus douglasii
iNaturalist taxon 46259 is the active species record with community observation range data.
Backs 2 fields
Taxonomy
Range
Wikipedia: Douglas squirrel
Corroborating reference for midden behaviour and the conifer species it depends on.
Backs 3 fields
Taxonomy
Range
Foraging