It can also differentiate edible mushrooms from poisonous ones. Squirrels will move to a new location when the nut supply is exhausted. They obtain minerals from bones, antlers and turtle shells as well. Red squirrels are a species of upper elevations, so they are found only in the western, mountainous parts of the state in mixed hardwood forests. Gray squirrels and fox squirrels are more ubiquitous and can be found throughout Virginia in most forested habitats.
Squirrels have many calls and signals to communicate among each other.
The red squirrel in particular is fairly noisy and has a ratchet-like call, with much verbal communication. Fox squirrels are diurnal and forage largely on the ground, while gray squirrels tend to bring nuts up from the ground into the tree to eat. Red squirrels often nest and raise their young in abandoned woodpecker or flicker holes in a hollow tree or stub. They may remodel abandoned hawk or crow nests into leaf nests, and they are known to compete with flying squirrels for nest holes in some forest habitats. Nests are usually built near the trunk of a tree.