He's got a big job ahead of him because a single mature Valley oak can produce a ton of acorns in a good year. That's where grapevines cascading from four mature Valley oaks form a large 'room'. It's also a great location to take a close look at the soil under oaks. Gray, light brown and dusky fur are mixed to give the California Ground Squirrel's upperparts a mottled appearance. A band of slightly darker fur, flecked with light gray, extends from the head over the middle of the back.
Gray fur forms a cape over the sides of the head and shoulders.
This gray cape may have a protective function, breaking up the animal's body outline and making it more difficult for a predator to spot. Light buff or grayish yellow fur covers the undersides. Whitish fur rings the eyes and perhaps protects the squirrel's eyes from too intense sunlight. Black fur edges the outer rims of the ears. The tail, five to seven inches long and more than half the length of the head and body, is covered with mixed yellowish gray and black hairs and is lighter on the underside.