Wildlife
American red squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
Photo: Wikimedia Commons via Wikipedia
Habitat
Fort Clatsop
Conservation
Secure
First Observed
1805-12-08
Not to be confused with Richardson’s ground squirrel, this subspecies of Red Squirrel may also be called a “chickaree.”
Recent sightings
Where it’s being seen today
5 research-grade iNaturalist observations between 2017–2025. Most recent: 2025-06-16. Sourced from Terrain360 trail captures, cached locally.
Journal References
15 journal entries mention American red squirrel
Sep
11
1803
Seaman Catches Squirrels Swimming Across the Ohio
...down the Ohio River, they encountered large numbers of gray squirrels swimming across the river—a mass migration phenomenon well documented in the early American ...
Sep
7
1804
John Ordway: September 7, 1804
...esembles them nearly except the tail which is
like a Ground Squirrel, they will Stand on their hind feet & look
&. C. we Camped on the South Side near the Steeple of th...
Mar
31
1805
Fort Mandan, preparing for departure — Patrick Gass: March 31, 1805
...t colour. Yester-
“day: “onélof the men caught a small squirrel, like a
ground squirrel, but of a more dun colour, and more —
- spotted. We finished the boat thi...
Jul
8
1805
Great Falls Portage — Patrick Gass: July 8, 1805
... of a light colour.
Yesterday one of the men caught a small squirrel, like a
ground squirrel, but of a more dun colour, and more spotted.
We finished the boat this even...
Sep
1
1805
North Fork Salmon River, impassable route — Patrick Gass: September 1, 1805
...HE
forenoon we killed some pheasants and ducks, and a small
squirrel. In the afternoon we had a good deal of rain, and
the worst road (if road it can be called) that wa...
Sep
2
1805
North Fork Salmon River, impassable route — Patrick Gass: September 2, 1805
...HE
forenoon we killed some pheasants and ducks, and a small
squirrel. In the afternoon we had a good deal of rain, and
the worst road (if road it can be called) that wa...
Oct
21
1805
Columbia River near Wallula Gap — Patrick Gass: October 21, 1805
...e saw among them
some small robes made of the skins of grey squirrels, some
racoon skins, and acorns, which are signs of a timbered coun-
try not far distant. Having pr...
Oct
26
1805
Celilo Falls and The Dalles portage — Patrick Gass: October 26, 1805
...the falls. Some hunters
went out and killed 6 deer and some squirrels. In the after-
noon about 20 of the natives came to our camp (among whom
were the head chiefs of t...
Oct
27
1805
Celilo Falls and The Dalles portage — Patrick Gass: October 27, 1805
... evening our hunters came in and had killed
4 deer and some squirrels. The wind blew hard all this day.
Nov
18
1805
Patrick Gass: November 18, 1805
...In the evening our hunters came in with a
deer, 2 brants, a squirrel, a hawk, and a flounder, which the
tide had thrown on a sand-bar. The Indians still remained
with u...
Dec
21
1805
Building and occupying Fort Clatsop — Patrick Gass: December 21, 1805
...e saw among them
some small robes made of the skins of grey squirrels, some
racoon skins, and acorns, which are signs of a timbered coun-
try not far distant. Having pr...
Dec
27
1805
Fort Clatsop, salt works established — Patrick Gass: December 27, 1805
... evening our hunters came in and had killed
4 deer and some squirrels. The wind blew hard all this day.
Jan
15
1806
Lewis: January 15, 1806
...r Cat and those also of a small animal about the size of a
squirrel not known to me; these skins I procured from the Indians who had
previously dressed them and forme...
Apr
16
1806
Columbia near The Dalles, trading for horses — Patrick Gass: April 16, 1806
...in the evening and had killed two deer,
some ducks and four squirrels, three of a beautiful speckled
kind, and as large as a common grey squirrel, but the tail not
so b...
Jun
12
1806
Bitterroot crossing attempt, turned back by snow — Patrick Gass: June 12, 1806
...d by the natives. There is no game of any other
kind except squirrels and some other small animals. The
squirrels are about the size of our common grey squirrels,
and v...