Squirrels in Louisiana: Where to Look and What Signs to Watch For

Squirrels adapt well to Louisiana's varied habitats. You'll find them in bottomland hardwoods, pine forests, and even urban areas like New Orleans' City Park or Baton Rouge's LSU campus. The eastern gray squirrel dominates, but fox squirrels prefer more open pine savannas. Check areas with oak, hickory, and pecan trees for the best odds. Wetland edges near the Mississippi River delta also host active populations in oak-cypress stands.

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Squirrels are most active during the early morning hours (sunrise to mid-morning) and late afternoon (around 4-6 PM). They are active year-round in Louisiana, but you may see them more in fall as they stash food for winter. During hot summer midday, they often rest in leaf nests or shady branches. Winter mornings are especially good because they forage longer to maintain energy. Spring offers mating chases and increased visibility in canopy.

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Look for leaf nests (dreys) high in tree forks, often a messy ball of leaves and twigs. On the ground, you might find chewed nut shells with clean, precise cuts (unlike jagged marks from other rodents). Squirrel tracks show four toes on front feet and five on hind feet; in mud or soft soil, look for bounding patterns with long bounds between prints. Listen for chattering barks or the rustle of leaves and falling twigs as they move through branches. Bark damage on branches and partially eaten pine cones also signal squirrel activity.

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Three main species inhabit Louisiana. The eastern gray squirrel (most common, gray with white belly and bushy tail) thrives in urban and rural areas. The fox squirrel (larger, reddish-brown to silver morphs, often in pine areas and savannas) is more shy but visible in daylight in woodlands. The southern flying squirrel (nocturnal, small, with a flap of skin between legs for gliding) is rarely seen but common. The gray squirrel is your best bet for daytime spotting; fox squirrels are more elusive.

Squirrels are agile climbers and can leap between branches up to 15 feet apart. They often move in a series of quick dashes and stops, pausing to check for danger. When feeding, they sit upright holding nuts in their front paws. During fall, they scatter-hoard food by digging small holes and burying nuts individually. You might see them chasing each other in spring mating chases. Their tail flicks and alarm calls warn other squirrels of danger; their body posture shifts from relaxed feeding to alert upright stances.