The Western Grey squirrel is the main native squirrel species here in Portland. Like all squirrels, they like to cluck annoyingly, flirt their tail offensively, and drop nuts on your head. They are also quite tasty.

The Eastern Grey squirrel is also present in large numbers. They are very similar to their western cousins, but a bit smaller.

The Fox squirrel is not native to Portland, but is actually the most common squirrel you're likely to run into.

The California Ground squirrel is another invasive species. Like their human brethren from California, many of them have fled North from their decaying home state and now live in Oregon.

The Northern Flying squirrel is a challenging foe. If you manage to defeat one of these, count it as a good day's work!

Townsend's Chipmunk is not very common, but you might find one in your yard. Just because it calls itself a chipmunk, do not be fooled! It's just trying confuse you, chipmunk is just a name, it's still a member of the squirrel family.

The Striped Skunk is NOT a squirrel. It may look much like our favorite furry snack, but you do not want to try it! Karma assures us from personal experience that this is one animal you do not want to interact with! Unfortunately is happens that our house is right in the middle of their prime habitat, and our city has one of the highest concentrations of these guys in several states. If you think one of these guys is in the yard, it's best to just relax on the couch and patrol another day.

The Raccoon is also not someone we want to mess with. They can be rather large, have sharp claws, and also tend to carry rabies.

Last, occasionally the Bobcat is sighted in our neighborhood. This is not the neighbor's kitty. We want to stay far away from this fellow.

Posted by: Nanz at February 04, 2012 08:05 PM (1qip3)

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