Mammals Active at night

Northern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys sabrinus

iNaturalist Wikipedia

A silent glider of the midnight forest, the Northern Flying Squirrel turns the canopy into a playground under the cover of darkness. While rarely seen by the naked eye, these social, big-eyed acrobats are common residents of the northern woods.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Total length of 25–37 cm (10–15 in); weight ranging from 75–140 g (2.6–4.9 oz).

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Colors

Cinnamon-brown to light brown upper fur; belly fur is grey at the base with creamy-white tips; large, dark nocturnal eyes.

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Key Features

Furry membrane (patagium) extending from wrists to ankles
Large, dark eyes optimized for night vision
Flattened, rudder-like tail used for steering during glides
Small, rounded ears and extremely soft, dense fur

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Active at night

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Peak hours 9 PM - 3 AM

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Season Year-round

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Diet Omnivorous, primarily feeding on mycorrhizal fungi (truffles) and lichens; also consumes seeds, nuts, berries, insects, tree sap, and occasionally bird eggs.

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Habitat Coniferous and mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, particularly those with old-growth characteristics and abundant lichen.

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Where Does the Northern Flying Squirrel Live?

Native to the North American continent, the Northern Flying Squirrel thrives in the vast boreal forests and mountainous regions. Its core range spans from the treeline in Alaska across nearly all of Canada to the Atlantic coast. In the United States, they are found throughout the Pacific Northwest, the northern Great Lakes region, and extending south through the high-elevation corridors of the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian chain.

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2 Countries

12.5M km² Range

Least Concern Conservation

CA Canada US United States

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iNaturalist / Verified observation data

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Behavior

Northern Flying Squirrels are the nocturnal acrobats of the forest, emerging after dusk to glide silently between trees. Using a specialized fold of skin called a patagium, they can glide for over 45 meters in a single leap, using their flat tails as a rudder to steer and navigate around branches. Unlike most squirrels, they are clumsy on the ground and rarely descend to the forest floor except to forage for specific fungi or to move between disconnected patches of trees.

These squirrels are remarkably social, especially during the cold winter months. To survive freezing temperatures in the northern parts of their range, they often huddle together in shared tree cavities, with up to a dozen individuals sharing body heat. They are much less aggressive than their daytime-active cousins and spend their nights foraging for lichens and truffles, communicating with one another through high-pitched chirps and ultrasonic vocalizations.

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Camera Tips

To successfully capture Northern Flying Squirrels, you must look up rather than down. Mount your camera on the trunk of a mature tree—conifers like spruce or fir are ideal—at a height of 5 to 7 feet. Angle the camera slightly upward or across to a neighboring trunk where you see plenty of lichen growth. Because they are strictly nocturnal, a camera with high-quality infrared (IR) night vision is essential. Use a 'No-Glow' or 'Black Flash' model if possible to avoid startling them, though they are generally less shy than other nocturnal mammals.

Attracting them to your camera's field of view is best achieved with scent and food lures. Smear a 'squirrel paste' made of peanut butter, molasses, and crushed walnuts directly onto the bark in front of the lens. They are also highly attracted to suet cages filled with high-fat nut blends. Since these squirrels are fast and often land with a sudden 'thump,' set your camera to its fastest trigger speed and use a burst mode of 3-5 photos or a short 10-second video clip to ensure you capture the action rather than just a blurry tail.

In the winter, look for 'huddle trees'—cavities in old trees where you might spot multiple squirrels emerging at dusk. If you have a backyard bird feeder, consider leaving it out overnight; while they are fungi specialists, they will readily visit sunflower seed stations under the cover of darkness. Positioning a camera near a dripping water source during dry spells is another excellent way to capture them, as they must hydrate after eating dry lichens and bark.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Northern Flying Squirrel.

Southern Flying Squirrel

Smaller in size with belly fur that is pure white from tip to root, whereas the Northern species has grey-based belly fur.

American Red Squirrel

Active during the day and lacks the gliding membrane (patagium); much more vocal and territorial.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Northern Flying Squirrels are strictly nocturnal, meaning they are active only at night. They typically emerge about 30 to 60 minutes after sunset and remain active until shortly before dawn, with peak activity occurring during the middle of the night.

The best way to attract them is by providing high-fat food sources like peanut butter, suet, or sunflower seeds at night. Maintaining mature trees and leaving standing dead wood (snags) provides them with essential nesting cavities and the lichens they prefer to eat.

Unlike other squirrels that focus on nuts, the Northern Flying Squirrel specializes in fungi and lichens. They are famous for eating truffles (underground fungi), but will also eat seeds, nuts, insects, and occasionally bird eggs if the opportunity arises.

They are less common in urban centers than Southern Flying Squirrels, but they are frequently found in suburban backyards that border coniferous or mixed forests. Because they are nocturnal, many homeowners have them in their yards without ever realizing it.

Northern Flying Squirrels are larger and have belly hair that is grey at the base with white tips. Southern Flying Squirrels are smaller (about the size of a chipmunk) and have belly hair that is pure white all the way to the root.

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