If you’ve ever spotted a quick, striped little animal darting across your yard, you might’ve asked yourself, “Are chipmunks also squirrels?” Well, yeah—they are. Chipmunks actually count as a type of squirrel, but they fit into a special group called ground squirrels.
They don’t really look like the squirrels you usually see leaping through trees, but they’re still part of the same squirrel family.
You’ll notice chipmunks are smaller and have those signature stripes on their backs and faces, which you don’t see on most tree squirrels.
They spend lots of time on the ground, digging burrows and hunting for food, and that makes them pretty unique in the squirrel world.
If you’re curious about what makes chipmunks different—and how they’re still related to the squirrels you spot in your neighborhood—let’s dig into the surprising similarities and differences between these furry little neighbors.
How Chipmunks and Squirrels Are Related
So, how do chipmunks fit into the squirrel family tree? Both share a bunch of traits and belong to the same family, but there are some details about their groups and features that set them apart.
Knowing these differences helps you see where chipmunks and squirrels come from, and how they connect.
Sciuridae Family Overview
Both chipmunks and squirrels belong to the Sciuridae family.
This family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots, and prairie dogs.
All of them are mammals with some basic things in common, like sharp teeth for chewing and strong legs for climbing or digging.
The Sciuridae family is pretty big and diverse.
Tree squirrels usually live up in the trees and move fast among branches.
Ground squirrels and marmots stick to the ground or live underground.
Chipmunks often dig burrows but can climb trees when they need to.
When you realize they all belong to the same family, it’s clear they’re distant relatives with a bunch of shared traits.
Chipmunk and Squirrel Genera
Think of genera as smaller groups within the Sciuridae family.
They organize species by how closely they’re related.
Chipmunks mostly belong to the subtribe Tamiina, with genera like Tamias, Eutamias, and Neotamias covering different chipmunk species.
Tree squirrels usually fall under the subfamily Sciurinae.
Ground squirrels, including prairie dogs and marmots, are in the subfamily Xerinae.
So, chipmunks technically count as a type of ground squirrel, but they’ve got their own special group.
These group differences make chipmunks and squirrels look and act differently.
For example, the eastern chipmunk lives and acts nothing like your typical tree squirrel.
Shared Physical Traits
Chipmunks and other squirrels have a few physical things in common.
Both usually have bright eyes and bushy tails.
They’ve got strong front teeth that keep growing, perfect for gnawing on nuts and seeds.
One thing that really stands out for chipmunks is their stripes—distinct lines on their faces and backs, which most squirrels don’t have.
Tree squirrels tend to have plain fur and longer, bushier tails.
Both climb well, but chipmunks spend way more time on the ground and dig burrows.
Their cheeks expand so they can carry food—something they share with some ground squirrels, but not really with tree squirrels.
This mix of traits kind of shows how chipmunks link up with different types of squirrels.
If you want to dive deeper, here’s a detailed explanation on the Sciuridae family.
Distinctive Features and Behavior of Chipmunks
Chipmunks are small squirrels, easy to spot because of their stripes and busy, almost frantic, habits.
You’ll find different chipmunk species in forests, rocky places, and even deserts.
They eat seeds and other small foods, carry them around in their cheek pouches, and stash them for winter.
Their behavior and sounds reveal a lot about how they get by.
Chipmunk Species and Distribution
There are about 25 chipmunk species out there.
The eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) and the least chipmunk (Tamias minimus) are probably the ones you’ll see most often.
Eastern chipmunks mostly live in the forests of eastern North America.
They’re the biggest, measuring about 5.5 to 7.5 inches long.
The least chipmunk is smaller and hangs out mostly in western North America, in open forests and sagebrush deserts.
The Siberian chipmunk is the odd one out—it’s the only species found outside North America, mainly in Russia and parts of Asia.
Chipmunks usually stick close to the ground but can climb trees and rocks if they feel like it.
Diet & Food Hoarding Habits
Chipmunks eat tons of seeds, nuts, and berries.
Sometimes, they’ll munch on insects, fungi, or even small dead animals.
Their large cheek pouches help them carry food back to their burrows.
They’re expert hoarders.
Chipmunks gather up seeds and nuts, stuff their cheeks full, and hide the food underground for winter.
Unlike some animals that just get fat for winter, chipmunks depend on their hidden food supplies to get through the cold months.
This habit helps them survive in places with really tough winters.
Chipmunk Hibernation Patterns
Do chipmunks hibernate? Sort of, but not exactly.
Chipmunks go into torpor, which is like a light version of hibernation.
Their body temperature drops, and they mostly stay inactive to save energy.
They don’t stay in torpor all winter long.
On warmer days, you might catch them popping out to grab a snack from their food stash.
The eastern chipmunk’s body temperature can drop from around 100°F down to about 41°F to 44°F during torpor.
This pattern lets them survive cold winters without eating much.
Vocalizations and Social Behavior
Chipmunks use high-pitched chirps and chipping sounds to communicate. They’ll let out these calls when they sense danger or want to mark their territory.
You might catch a chipmunk chattering as it dashes around, snatching up food.
Most of the time, chipmunks keep to themselves. Only mothers with babies stick together in the spring.
They dig and fiercely defend their own burrows. Chipmunks mostly rely on their vocal sounds to warn off predators or alert other chipmunks nearby.
If you listen closely, you might hear their calls even when you can’t spot them.
