Ever spot a small, bushy-tailed critter and wonder if it’s a squirrel? Plenty of animals look a lot like squirrels—long tails and all—but you can usually tell them apart by checking out their tails, where they’re hanging out, and what they’re up to. Let’s dig into some ways to tell these animals apart so next time you catch a glimpse, you’ll have a better idea of what you’re seeing.
Some animals share classic squirrel features, while others just have a passing resemblance. You’ll want to look for clues—burrows, gliding flaps, or even swimming habits—to help you figure out what you’re looking at.
Identifying Squirrel Like Animals With Long Tails
You can spot squirrel-like animals with long tails by checking out their body shape, tail, and how they move. Watch the tail length and how the animal runs or jumps—that’ll help you figure out if it’s a tree squirrel, ground squirrel, or maybe one of those gliding types.
Key Physical Features
Start with the tail. A long, bushy tail usually means the animal lives in the trees. Tree squirrels like the fox squirrel and American red squirrel have those big, fluffy tails for balance and warmth.
Ground squirrels, on the other hand, have shorter, less fluffy tails and chunkier bodies for digging. Ears and eyes are next: big, rounded ears and large eyes? That’s probably a daytime climber. Smaller ears and more compact eyes fit burrowing types.
Fur color and markings help too—look for red, gray, or brown coats and white bellies. Check out the legs. Long back legs and a slender body mean it’s built for jumping in trees.
Shorter front legs and a more tube-shaped body? That’s usually a ground squirrel or marmot. Cheek pouches or burrow entrances are big hints about how the animal lives.
Squirrel Family Overview
When you spot a true squirrel, you’re actually seeing a member of the Sciuridae family. That covers tree squirrels, ground squirrels, and flying squirrels. They all have those constantly-growing front teeth and usually snack on seeds, nuts, and sometimes bugs.
Tree squirrels spend almost all their time up in the branches. Fox squirrels and American red squirrels are the ones you’ll probably see in parks or forests.
Ground squirrels, like marmots and prairie dogs, live in groups and dig big burrow systems. Flying squirrels come out at night and glide using a special skin flap.
Where you find the animal often tells you what kind of squirrel relative it is. Tree squirrels love urban yards and woods, while ground squirrels stick to fields or prairies.
Tree Squirrels vs. Ground Squirrels
Tree squirrels are built for climbing and leaping—long back legs, super bushy tails for balance. You’ll catch them dashing along branches, hopping, and nesting in tree holes or twig nests.
Fox squirrels are the big ones that sometimes come down to the ground. American red squirrels are smaller and, honestly, kind of feisty about their turf.
Ground squirrels mostly stick to the ground and dig. Their bodies look more solid and are better for life underground. You’ll see their burrows, dirt piles, and sometimes whole groups hanging out in open areas.
They stash food in their burrows and stand up to watch for predators. If you see an animal climbing and using its tail for balance, you’re probably looking at a tree squirrel.
If it’s digging, living in a burrow, or hanging out in a group, it’s likely a ground squirrel.
Flying Squirrels and Gliding Rodents
Flying squirrels don’t actually fly—they glide! They use a stretchy skin flap called a patagium. You can spot them gliding with their bodies stretched wide and those big, night-adapted eyes.
Their tails are long and help steer during glides. These rodents come out at dusk and glide from tree to tree.
Their fur is soft and thick. In Africa, you’ll find similar gliders like anomalures and scaly-tailed gliders, but they aren’t closely related to North American flying squirrels.
If you see a small animal silently gliding at night or notice scratch marks on tree trunks, you’re probably watching a glider, not a regular squirrel.
Other Animals That Resemble Squirrels
There are quite a few small mammals with bushy tails, stripes, or a love for climbing that can fool you into thinking they’re squirrels. If you pay attention to their size, tail, and where you spot them, you’ll have a better chance at getting it right.
Chipmunks and Lodgepole Chipmunk
Chipmunks are small, striped rodents that hang out near trees and rocks. The eastern chipmunk is common, but out west, you might bump into the lodgepole chipmunk (Tamias speciosus).
Chipmunks have bold dark and light stripes down their backs and a short, compact body—usually under 10 inches including the tail. They run on the ground more than they leap through trees.
Chipmunks pack food into their cheek pouches and stash it in their burrows. If you watch one, you’ll notice quick, jerky moves and lots of stops to listen.
The lodgepole chipmunk likes conifer forests and higher places, so you’ll find it near pine trees, not lowland parks.
Marmots and Groundhogs
Marmots are chunky rodents that look like big, slow squirrels from far away. You’ll find species like the hoary marmot (Marmota caligata) and yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) in alpine meadows or rocky places.
They’re heavy—way bigger than a tree squirrel. Groundhogs, also called woodchucks (Marmota monax), are a kind of marmot you might see in fields and at the edge of neighborhoods.
They dig big burrows and come out during the day. If you spot a hefty rodent on a rock or by a burrow, check its size and how it moves—marmots stand up more and move slower than tree squirrels.
Prairie Dogs and White-Tailed Prairie Dog
Prairie dogs are social, burrowing rodents that live in big colonies called towns. The white-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys leucurus) lives in grasslands and builds obvious mounds at their burrow entrances.
These guys are smaller than marmots but chunkier than tree squirrels, and you won’t see them climbing trees. Prairie dogs talk to each other with whistles and popping sounds if there’s danger.
Their families share burrows and help each other groom. If you see a bunch of little heads popping up in the grass, you’re probably watching prairie dogs, not solo squirrels.
Chinchillas, Rats, and Mice
Chinchillas have this crazy dense fur and bushy tails, which honestly makes them look a bit like tiny, plush squirrels. They come from the Andes, so they’re thicker-bodied than you’d expect, and honestly, people keep them as pets way more often than you’d spot one in the wild.
Their tails aren’t as long as most tree squirrels’, but they’re definitely fluffy.
Rats and mice? Well, they’re all over the place in terms of looks. Some wild rats—especially the bigger ones—can almost pass for ground squirrels if you just glance at them.
But check out their tails and faces. Rats and mice have thinner, sometimes scaly tails and sharper faces.
They move differently too—quicker, closer to the ground, and usually hang out near buildings or places people go. If you notice a thin, scaly tail or the animal looks really tiny, it’s probably a rat or mouse, not a real squirrel.
