SINCE 1828
red squirrel
nounDefinition of red squirrel
: a common and widely distributed North American squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) that has reddish upper parts and is smaller than the gray squirrel
Examples of red squirrel in a Sentence
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Just last year, for example, news broke that the heir apparent to the British throne lets red squirrels run free inside his Scotland home, hunting for nuts in his coat pockets. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "Prince Charles's Private Gardens at Highgrove House Will Open to Visitors Later This Spring," 14 Mar. 2019 In England, eastern grays are threatening native red squirrels by both outcompeting them for food and spreading parapoxvirus, a lethal disease to which eastern grays are immune. — Kaitlyn Schwalje, National Geographic, "How many squirrels live in NYC’s Central Park? We finally have the answer.," 20 June 2019 Wildlife expert Marne Titchenell suspects a red squirrel is the likely culprit that recently stored about 50 pounds of pine cones under the hood of a young Michigan man’s car, according to the local TV station WVLT 8. — Brian Gordon Green, National Geographic, "Why a Squirrel Stashed 50 Pounds of Pine Cones in a Car," 9 June 2018 And since red squirrels can breed twice a year, a generation might only be six months apart. — Brian Gordon Green, National Geographic, "Why a Squirrel Stashed 50 Pounds of Pine Cones in a Car," 9 June 2018 Restoration consists of planting native oak and birch trees, cutting down nonnative Sitka spruce, building walking paths and trying to attract native wildlife like red squirrels, osprey and Scottish wildcats, Rossiter said. — Robert Mccoppin, chicagotribune.com, "Want to be a Scottish lord or lady? Opportunity beckons at suburban festival, where 'titles' will be sold," 16 June 2018 According to a press release, the red squirrel, Scottish wildcat and grey long-eared bat are particularly threatened. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "The UK’s Hedgehogs (and Other Mammals) Are In Danger," 16 June 2018 In a study published this week in The Scientific Naturalist, researchers report that North American red squirrel pups often fall victim to attacks from nearby males. — Jessica Haines, National Geographic, "These Adorable Squirrels Are Also Baby-Killing Cannibals," 16 Mar. 2018 Gray squirrels, on the other hand, outnumber red squirrels by roughly 10 to 1 reports Stokstad. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Prince Charles Will Battle Squirrels Using Contraceptives and a Lot of Nutella," 27 Feb. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'red squirrel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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