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Red squirrel with dark brown fur The coat of the Red Squirrel is variable according to the individuals. While a large proportion of individuals show a red coat, especially in low-lying hardwood forests, many other forms are observed, ranging from red-gray (causing some observers to confuse it with the gray squirrel) to dark brown. , or even gray-black. Dark individuals are found in the mountains, in the Alps, in the Pyrenees, and less frequently in the lowlands. All have a white belly, which makes it easy to differentiate it from the Pallas squirrel (locally present in France). The ears end with a brush 2.5-3 cm long which grows in late summer and is prominent in winter and spring. The tail is long, well furnished, in plume, of uniform color, sometimes with the white end in winter (in Great Britain and very rarely in France). Red squirrels moult in spring and fall, respectively from April to October. The moulting period is however variable according to the sex and the age of the individuals. The spring moult begins with the head, then the legs, the neck, the body and ends with the tail. That of autumn follows a reverse "path", although the tail does not move a second time.

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Red squirrel under the snow In winter, it does not present a hibernation phase unlike the Alpine Marmot and Siberian Tamia, two sciurids finding refuge in a burrow. However, it reduces its activity by strong wind, in case of heavy rain, or low temperatures. Its activity is associated mainly with foraging, nest building, stocking, and reproduction. Males, in particular, spend some of their time browsing their home range, so as to know the reproductive status of females, so that they can fertilize them during the short time they are receptive. After the farrowing, a large part of the activity of the females will be devoted to the care of the young in the nest. The pace of activity of squirrels will depend mainly on the availability of food. If they are abundant, the rest phases will be longer.

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Red squirrel on a tree trunk The Red Squirrel is a solitary animal, except during the breeding season. Its social organization is based on a hierarchy of dominance between males and females, and between individuals of the same sex. Dominants are usually older and larger than dominated. The red squirrel does not defend territory. He frequents a sector called the vital domain where individuals coexist. Its area varies according to the type of habitat, the distribution of food and the sex of the individuals: between 2 and 20 ha generally for the females and between 5 and 30 ha for the males. The home range of males, more important during the breeding season, covers those of several females. It is identified by olfactory markings (urine, glandular, vaginal secretions for females), including information on males on the reproductive stage of females. Young people stay a few months near their nest of birth, then disperse to find a suitable area for their installation. The distances traveled depend on the sex of the individuals, the densities and especially the available resources. When food is abundant, young people will move away from their place of birth. Rhythm of activity The red squirrel is diurnal, unlike most rodents, and the vast majority of arboreal squirrels. It is active from sunrise to sunset. Its rhythm of activity varies according to the periods of the year, with a main peak at the end of the morning in winter, and two peaks at other seasons, one at dawn and one before sunset. These peaks are more pronounced in summer, during which time it is not very active in the middle of the day, joining its nest, or dozing on the branch of a tree.

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Habitat and density of the red squirrel The red squirrel, a forest rodent, occupies a wide variety of habitats in France, both in continental, oceanic and Mediterranean areas. Coniferous forests (pine, fir, spruce, larch), mixed forests (consisting of broadleaf and coniferous trees), are its preferred habitats, in connection with the presence of a varied and rich food (conifer seeds), and whose availability is relatively constant over the years. In this type of habitat, their density varies between 0.5 and 1.5 ind./ha. Red squirrels also occupy deciduous forests, but at lower densities (0.02 to 0.2 ind./ha). In the presence of other Sciruids, it is likely that this species would not persist in this type of habitat that is unfavorable to it, in connection with a poor assimilation of acorns, the main food resource available (see the relationship between the Red Squirrel and the Gray Squirrel in Britain). The gardens located near a forest are very frequented by this rodent (in connection with the diversity of food resources and feeding), just like some urban parks where they are also fed by the public (Parc de Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine). de-Seine, with more than 2, even 3 ind./ha). The destruction and fragmentation of its habitats are the main factors behind the decline in population numbers in Western Europe.