Juvenile mortality is high, with owls, hawks, and pine martens taking many individuals. Behavior Red squirrels are solitary, diurnal animals that are active throughout the year. Their peak activity times are at dawn and the late afternoon. In the northern part of their range, red squirrels often spend the winter in a system of underground tunnels. They are very vocal and loudly scold intruders in their home range.
Vocalizations consist of rattles, screeches, growls, buzzes, and chirps.
Red squirrels often migrate if their local food supply runs low. Habitat Coniferous, deciduous, and mixed forests. Negative Red squirrels can severely damage young trees in plantations, and crops in storage. They may also gnaw on many household items. The red squirrel is common and not currently threatened.