Black Squirrel ID (1 Viewer)

[Chris in France]

I was in Switzerland over the past week and whilst bird watching came across black squirrels on three separate occasions. Same size as red and grey squirrels but black with a white breast patch and long, hairy ears. Any idea of the name of this squirrel, please?

 

[Gwynn]

They would have been Red Squirrels which are often black! if you look there are a couple of pictures of quite dark ones in my gallery

Gwynn

 

[StuartReeves]

Agreed, I have also seen quite a few black Red Squirrels in France and Germany.

Stuart

 

[dbradnum]

.... Worth noting that you do find black Grey Squirrels occasionally, as well. There are a reasonable number in various bit of Cambridgeshire, including one seen irregularly in the university college grounds where I studied a couple of years ago.

However, in this case, the big ear tufts point to Red Squirrel.

 

[Chris in France]

Well, I never would have guessed I was looking at a Red Squirrel - one learns something new every day! Thanks to all of you for satisfying my curiosity.

Chris

Gwynn: I've just checked your photos and find that your (dark) Red Squirrel is unlike the three black squirrels that I saw. Mine were very, very black and had long hairy ears which were pointed, not rounded. They also had a large white 'bib' on the breast which may have been hidden on your squirrel. I now wish I had taken a photo of one of them to post on this thread. Are we still talking Red Squirrel here? Well done on all your photos - they're excellent!

 

[Gwynn]

Gwynn: I've just checked your photos and find that your (dark) Red Squirrel is unlike the three black squirrels that I saw. Mine were very, very black and had long hairy ears which were pointed, not rounded. They also had a large white 'bib' on the breast which may have been hidden on your squirrel. I now wish I had taken a photo of one of them to post on this thread. Are we still talking Red Squirrel here? Well done on all your photos - they're excellent!

Yes we are still talking about Red Squirrels, I am fairly sure that I read some where that the darkest (black) ones are found in the mountains areas where I one in my picture was taken in Vienna and although you can't see it on the picture it did have a white "bib", also they do tend to have their longest ear tufts in winter and spring and my pictures where taken in late summer

Gwynn

 

[Chris in France]

Yes we are still talking about Red Squirrels, I am fairly sure that I read some where that the darkest (black) ones are found in the mountains areas where I one in my picture was taken in Vienna and although you can't see it on the picture it did have a white "bib", also they do tend to have their longest ear tufts in winter and spring and my pictures where taken in late summer

Gwynn

Gwynn, many thanks for the clarification. I may return to Switzerland later this year and if I see the same squirrels I'll make sure I get a photo! Thanks again.

Chris

 

[Marko586]

This is amazing. My wife and I were walking in the mountains (Zwolferhorn area) just south-west of Wolgangsee in the Salzkammergut, Austria, last week and saw what we thought was a red squirrel only a deep black colour. Tufty ears, the whole 9 yards, I even took three pictures of it but the camera was shaking so much they could have been of anything :C

So, curiosity getting the better of me, I do a Google search today, find this thread, and lo behold, it was a "black" red squirrel. Beatiful creature, very timid and quick, it eventually scarpered up a tree...

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Nine yards? By that was a big'un. My camera would have been shaking too.

 

[Farnboro John]

I have seen truly black Red Squirrels in the Alps as well, around Wengen. They seemed to be the commonest morph there. It took us a while to work out what we were looking at due to unfamiliarity with the range of colours, as well.

John

 

[halsteadk]

Hi,

I just came across this thread too via a Google search. I saw what I now assume is one of these in Arosa, Switzerland last week. Must be fairly common then!

Regards,
Keith

 

[Pete Mella]

I saw a black squirrel in Prague a couple of years ago, brilliant-looking thing it was.

 

[lulie]

Hello,
I used to live in the french alps and 98% of squirrels we saw were the black morph red squirrel. Very pretty. Though this is not really unusual as many animals living in colder climates have darker coats than their warm weather counter parts. We also only ever saw black coloured adders

 

[karend]

"black" squirrel in France - sighting 2009

Hi - We spotted a "black" red squirrel near Bellester (SW France) last week. We had a very good sighting - it seemed quite used to people - probably being fed by residents. We watched it for a few minutes in a garden before it hopped up a tree where it continued to be very curious about us. Definitely red squirrel shape and size but very dark with a distinctive white bib - almost like a pine martin. Tried to get picture - if it turns out any use will post.