Eastern Grey Squirrel

Eastern grey squirrels are medium sized tree squirrels. Males and females are similar in size and color. The fur on their back ranges from grizzled dark grey to pale grey and may have red tones. Their ears are pale grey to white. Their tail is white to pale grey. The underparts are grey to white.

'Melanism' means dark pigmentation. Melanism is common in northern populations of this species. Some populations of eastern grey squirrels are entirely melanistic, so that all squirrels in that area are black over their whole body. If you see a black squirrel, it is most likely an eastern grey squirrel that is melanistic. Some populations of eastern grey squirrels have higher rates of albinism, which results in white fur, but this is very rare.

The total length of the squirrel ranges from 380 to 525 millimeters (mm). The tail length ranges from 150-250 mm.

You can tell eastern grey squirrels apart from fox squirrels by their white tipped fur and white or grayish belly. Eastern grey squirrels often have a lot of red in their fur. Fox squirrels have red-tipped fur and red bellies. Eastern grey squirrels are usually smaller than fox squirrels. In most areas of North America, entirely black eastern grey squirrels are fairly common. These black squirrels will not have white-tipped fur or white bellies. Black fox squirrels are found in some parts of the southeastern United States.

Eastern grey squirrels are larger than red squirrels and do not have the white eye ring around their eyes.

http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Sciurus_carolinensis/