Chipmunk

A chipmunk is a small, striped squirrel.

They live in North America and Asia.

These animals eat many things. They eat seeds, nuts, and fruit. They also eat bugs and worms.

Chipmunks have special pouches in their cheeks. They use these to carry food. They take food to their homes in the ground.

This helps new plants grow in the forest. The seeds they drop turn into trees.

Chipmunks are very busy animals.

Chipmunks are small, striped squirrels. Most live in North America. One kind lives in Asia.

These animals are omnivorous. This means they eat both plants and animals. They love seeds, nuts, and fruit. They also eat insects, worms, and even small frogs. They may eat bird eggs too.

Chipmunks have cheek pouches. These are stretchy parts in their cheeks. They use them to carry food. They move food to their burrows. A burrow is a home underground. These homes have many parts. They have rooms for sleeping and food. They even have escape routes.

Many chipmunks store food for winter. This helps the forest grow. They drop seeds while they move. These seeds grow into new plants.

Eastern chipmunks are the largest kind. They sleep through the winter. This is called hibernation. Western chipmunks do not hibernate. They stay awake and eat their stored food. Most chipmunks live for about three years.

Chipmunks are small, striped squirrels that play a big role in nature. Most of these animals live in North America. However, the Siberian chipmunk lives in Asia.

They are omnivorous, which means they eat many different things. Their diet includes seeds, nuts, fruits, and buds. They also eat insects, worms, and small frogs. Some even eat bird eggs or tiny baby birds. Because they eat grains and vegetables from farms, people sometimes call them pests.

These squirrels have a clever way to find and move food. They have stretchy cheek pouches to carry items. They use these pouches to move food to their underground homes. These homes are called burrows. A burrow can be quite long and has many parts. It has rooms for sleeping and special chambers for food. There are even side pockets and escape routes to keep them safe.

Chipmunks are diurnal, so they are active during the day.

People have studied chipmunks for a long time. The name might come from the Odawa word jidmoonh. This word means "red squirrel." In the 1840s, the name was spelled "chipmonk." In the 1830s, people called them "chip squirrels." They likely chose this name because of the sounds the animals make. In the mid-19th century, John James Audubon drew them in a book. He called them "chipping squirrels" or "hackee."

Scientists group chipmunks into different categories called genera. There are four main groups. The genus Tamias has only one living member, the eastern chipmunk. The genus Eutamias has the Siberian chipmunk. The genus Neotamias has 23 species, mostly in western North America. One species is the Allen's chipmunk. Another is the Alpine chipmunk. There is also a Yellow-pine chipmunk. In 1959, Joseph C. Moore helped organize how we classify them.

Chipmunks help forests grow in a very special way. When they carry seeds to their burrows, they often drop them. These seeds grow into new plants and trees. This process is called dispersal. They also move fungi through the soil. Eastern chipmunks are the largest kind and they hibernate in winter. This means they sleep through the cold months. Western chipmunks do not hibernate. Instead, they stay awake and eat the food they stored.

Chipmunks are small, striped squirrels belonging to the subtribe Tamiina. Most chipmunk species live in North America, but the Siberian chipmunk lives primarily in Asia.

These mammals are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plants and animals. Their diet consists mostly of seeds, nuts, fruits, and buds. However, they also consume insects, worms, small frogs, and fungi. Some species even eat bird eggs and nestlings. Because they eat grains and vegetables from farms, humans sometimes view them as pests.

To manage their food, chipmunks use specialized cheek pouches. These pouches allow them to carry many items at once. They transport these items back to their underground homes, known as burrows. Many species begin stockpiling nonperishable foods at the start of autumn. They store these items in a larder inside their burrows. This behavior is different from some other animals that make many small caches. Instead, they rely on these large central stores to survive the winter.

Chipmunk burrows are quite complex and extensive. A burrow can be more than a meter in length. These tunnels include several well-concealed entrances to protect the animals. The structures contain separate compartments for nesting and multiple food chambers. They also feature side pockets and escape routes for safety. Chipmunks keep their sleeping quarters clear of shells. They even use specific refuse tunnels to store feces.

Scientists classify chipmunks into four distinct genera. The genus Tamias includes only one living member, the eastern chipmunk. The genus Eutamias contains only the Siberian chipmunk. The genus Neotamias includes 23 species, mostly in western North America. This group includes the Allen's chipmunk and the Alpine chipmunk. A fourth genus, Nototamias, consists of three extinct species. For much of the twentieth century, scientists grouped them into a single genus. However, Joseph C. Moore reclassified them into the subtribe Tamiina in 1959. Studies of mitochondrial DNA from 2000 to 2010 have supported this classification.

The history of the name "chipmunk" is also quite interesting. It may come from the Odawa word jidmoonh, which means "red squirrel." The earliest English spelling in the Oxford English Dictionary is "chipmonk" from 1842. In the 1830s, they were called "chip squirrels." This name likely refers to the sounds the animals make. In the mid-19th century, John James Audubon included them in his work. He called them "chipping squirrels" or "hackee."

Chipmunks play a vital role in forest ecosystems. Their habit of harvesting and hoarding seeds helps with seedling establishment. When they move seeds in the soil, it leads to plant germination. They also help disperse fungi. They can act as a vector for spores of subterranean sporocarps, such as truffles. This happens as they consume various types of fungi.

There are also differences in how chipmunks live and breed. The eastern chipmunk is the largest species. It mates in early spring and again in early summer. This allows them to produce two litters of four or five young each year. Eastern chipmunks also hibernate during the winter. In contrast, western chipmunks breed only once a year. They do not hibernate but instead eat their stored food. Most chipmunks live about three years in the wild. However, some have lived to nine years in captivity.