Ever spot a squirrel darting across the snow and wonder what it’s up to for the rest of winter? Most squirrels don’t bother migrating—they stick around, hunkering down in nests, hollow trees, or burrows. They shift their habits to get through the cold.
Some squirrel species hibernate, but plenty just tough it out, relying on hidden food stashes, thick fur, and sometimes even sharing nests to stay alive.
Curious where each kind hides out, how they keep warm, or why you’ll catch them out on a sunny winter day? Let’s look at their shelters, food tricks, and how tree, ground, and flying squirrels all handle winter a bit differently. You might even spot the clues in your own backyard.
Where Squirrels Go and How They Shelter in Winter
Squirrels pick all sorts of homes to stay safe and warm. They stash food nearby, fatten up, and sometimes move their beds around depending on how cold it gets or if predators show up.
Tree Cavities and Dreys
You’ll often see tree squirrels tucked into hollow trunks or in big leafy nests called dreys. Dreys look like round balls of twigs and leaves, sometimes lined with moss or fur. Squirrels usually build them in branch forks or close to the trunk so the wind can’t get in.
Tree cavities give even better shelter from rain and hungry animals. Red squirrels and many greys pick cavities when they can since they’re warmer and keep snow out. If you watch in late autumn, you might catch a squirrel slipping into a tiny hole in an old tree.
If you spot a drey, check for tightly packed leaves and a small entrance—those are clues it’s being used in winter.
- Dreys: twigs outside, leaves and fur inside
- Cavities: warmer, drier, safer
- Common users: red squirrel, eastern grey squirrel
Burrows and Underground Dens
Some squirrels, like the arctic ground squirrel, hide underground through winter. They dig deep burrows, and the soil around them acts like insulation, keeping things less freezing than up top.
Ground squirrels hibernate by dropping their heart rate and body temp to save energy. They’ll even plug some tunnels with dirt or grass to block drafts. If you notice fresh dirt near tree roots or rocks, a burrow could be nearby.
Underground dens also keep babies and groups safe from cold snaps and bigger animals.
Urban and Man-Made Shelters
In cities and towns, squirrels get creative. They sneak into attics, sheds, or soffits if trees are scarce. You might hear scratching in your walls or spot chewed vent covers where they squeezed in.
Attics give them dry warmth, so tree squirrels use them a lot in winter. They’ll also crawl into bird boxes, porch roof gaps, or even hollow light posts.
If you want to keep squirrels out, seal up holes bigger than an inch and trim tree branches away from your roof. But if you’d rather help them, try mounting a nest box 12–20 feet up on a sturdy tree.
How Squirrels Survive Winter: Food, Activity, and Species Differences
Squirrels get through winter by using food they’ve hidden, building up body fat, and picking good shelter. Some stay busy and raid their caches, while others go into deep torpor or real hibernation—it all depends on the species.
Caching Food and Finding Cached Nuts
You’ll notice squirrels burying nuts like crazy in the fall. They scatter acorns, hazelnuts, and seeds in tons of shallow hiding spots, so no one thief can steal everything.
Squirrels use memory and their noses to dig up their buried snacks. They remember landmarks and sniff out food, even under snow. Sometimes, they pretend to bury food just to throw off would-be thieves.
Want to give them a hand? Plant native nut trees and try not to rake up all the leaf litter—those are squirrel pantries. Forgotten nuts even help forests grow.
Winter Activity and Torpor vs Hibernation
Do squirrels hibernate? Not most tree squirrels. They stay awake and grab food from their caches when the weather isn’t too rough. They just move less, fluff up their fur, and spend more time curled up in their dreys.
Some squirrels use torpor—a short-term energy-saving mode where their body cools down for a few hours or days. They’ll wake up when they need to eat.
A few, like the arctic ground squirrel, actually hibernate. They drop their body temperature for weeks or months and live off their fat and stored energy instead of going out to find food.
Ground Squirrels vs Tree Squirrels
Ground squirrels and tree squirrels handle winter in totally different ways. Ground squirrels usually dig burrows and, honestly, a lot of them just hibernate right through the cold months.
Researchers have watched arctic ground squirrels hibernate in deep torpor, burning through their fat reserves. That’s pretty wild, isn’t it?
Tree squirrels, like red squirrels, stick it out above ground. They stash food in middens or hide seeds in dozens of tiny caches.
You’ll still see red squirrels darting around all winter, especially if there are cones or hidden seeds nearby. They just don’t quit.
If you spend time watching a park or even your backyard, you’ll notice something. Ground squirrels disappear into their burrows once fall ends.
Meanwhile, tree squirrels show up on warmer winter days. They dig up old nuts or sometimes add more leaves and fluff to their dreys.
Curious about how squirrels stash their food? Check out squirrel winter adaptations explained.
