Tamias striatus
eastern chipmunk

Tamias striatus inhabits most of eastern North America including southeastern Canada, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Michigan.

(Anthony and McSpadden, 1937; Nowak, 1991)

Eastern chipmunks live in shallow burrows in the ground. They are partial to areas near rocky crevices, decayed tree trunks, and fence corners. They do not like dense forests where no sunlight reaches the ground. Burrows are made by digging and carrying away the dirt in their pouched mouths. Unlike prarie dogs and other sciurids, eastern chipmunks do not leave the dirt in mounds near the entrances of their burrows. This makes it harder for predators to find chipmunks in their homes. These burrows can be up to 30 ft. in length with several different exits and tunnels. Eastern chipmunks conceal the exits with leaves and rocks. They may inhabit these burrows for several years.

(Allen, 1987; Anthony and McSpadden, 1937; Nowak 1991)

Perhaps the most distinctive characteristic of all chipmunks is their pouched cheeks. The pouches are located in the sides of their mouths and are used to store food. When the pouches are full they can be as large as an entire chipmunk's head.

Eastern chipmunks are larger than most chipmunks. They are reddish brown in color with 5 black stripes on their backs. These stripes are separated by brown, white, or grey fur stripes. They also have white and dark markings around their eyes. The stomach is usually a yellowish brown or white color. Their tails are reddish brown and furry, but not bushy like common squirrels. Like many rodents, Tamias striatus has 4 toes on the front feet and 5 toes on the rear feet.

(Allen, 1987; Nowak, 1991)

About half of all chipmunks in any given year are young that were born in that season. Chipmunks in the wild live, on average, just over one year.

Eastern chipmunks are usually solitary animals that defend small territories around their burrows. There is considerable competition during the mating season for estrus females, but even if a male outcompetes his comrades the female may reject him by biting him and chasing him out of her burrow.

Although Tamias striatus are solitary animals, they have been seen gathering to "sing," or make noise in chorus. They also make a variety of other noises. The name chipmunk comes from the noise "chip, chip, chip" commonly made by these furry animals.

Many kinds of sciurids hibernate during the cold winter months. eastern chipmunks, however, do not hibernate continuously through the winter, nor do they "fatten up" before retreating to their burrows. They keep large stores of food in their burrows and build nests on top of this treasure. During the winter months they wake up periodically and snack on their stored nuts and seeds.

(Allen, 1987; Anthony and McSpadden, 1937; Nowak, 1991)

Eastern chipmunks have excellent vision, hearing, and sense of smell. They communicate with each other by making a variety of sounds, including the 'chip' for which they are named.

Tamias striatus eats a wide variety of foods including nuts, acorns, seeds, mushrooms, fruits, berries, and corn. They also eat insects, bird eggs, and sometimes small vertebrates such as young mice.

(Anthony and McSpadden, 1937; Godin, 1997 from Nowak, 1991)

Eastern chipmunks are alert and fast, they take refuge in their underground burrow systems to escape from predators. Eastern chipmunks are preyed on by foxes, snakes, hawks, owls, falcons, and weasels.

Eastern chipmunks are often common small mammals in the areas where they live. Because of this they are important as prey items for small predators such as bobcats, foxes, hawks, owls, and snakes. Eastern chipmunks also may disperse the seeds of the plants that they eat and aerate and recycle soil as a result of the burrowing.

Sciurids often forage for food in agricultural fields causing destruction of crops, but eastern chipmunks are not present in large enough numbers to do significant damage.

Chipmunks have played a small role in the fur trade. They eat insects and may help to control populations of some insect species. The play a role in the dispersion of plants and of mycorrhizal fungi.

Eastern chipmunks are not in danger as their habitat remains extensive. The main threat to their survival is agriculture. Many sciurids are a nuisance to farmers who kill them to save their crops.

(Nowak, 1991)