red squirrel

noun

|Updated on: 1 May 2018

Definition 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

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Recent Examples of red squirrel from the Web

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. 2017
The traps are designed to be too strong to allow red squirrels and other small mammals like dormice and voles to enter.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Prince Charles Will Battle Squirrels Using Contraceptives and a Lot of Nutella," 27 Feb. 2017
Given that, there’s no need to stigmatize today’s red squirrels because of leprosy.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Are Viking Squirrels to Blame for Infecting England with Leprosy?," 27 Oct. 2017
In fact, red squirrels in the British Isles need some extra love.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Are Viking Squirrels to Blame for Infecting England with Leprosy?," 27 Oct. 2017

These 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.