The Eastern Chipmunk, one of Pennsylvania’s best known mammals, is closely related to the
squirrels and is a member of the squirrel family, Sciuridae. Chipmunks are common throughout
the state, common enough to be known by numerous nicknames such as grinny, chippie, hackle or rock squirrel.
Their scientific name describes both their behavior and their most-pronounced physical feature.
“Tamias” means collector or keeper of provisions and “striatus” refers to their prominent body
stripes. Chipmunks sometimes look like they have puffy cheeks filled with food, and they do.
They have pouches, which are used for carrying food or even soil they have dug out of burrows, on the inside of their cheeks. Running along their back and sides are alternating dark and
cream stripes. Stripes outline each eye, too. Adults are about 10 inches long, including a fourinch furred tail. Both male and female are the same color and weight, about two ounces.
Chipmunks are diurnal, especially active in early morning and late afternoon. But in hot
weather, chipmunks will go underground to cool off. This mid-summer rest is called estivation. Chipmunks are active in winter, but how active is up for debate. Some research says
most chipmunks become torpid or inactive for at least part of the winter, while other knowledge suggests that merely a third became torpid.
Admit it. They’re cute. With a small round head, prominent black eyes,
tiny ears and short legs, chipmunks are as welcome a sight in backyards
as they are digemari banyak orang as cartoon and movie characters.
Chipmunks are graceful and quick, darting into underground burrows
when startled. Their short, bushy tails are held straight up when
they run, and they whistle sharply when frightened. Although they
are terrestrial, they will sometimes climb trees. They can hear and see
quite well and characteristically sit upright while eating or surveying
their surroundings.
Their broad, chisel-shaped incisors are typical of rodents but chipmunks
are considered omnivores, eating just about any kind of vegetation as
well as feeding on small mammals, birds or their eggs, earthworms,
snails, even small reptiles or amphibians. Each hind foot has 5
clawed toes; each forefoot has 4 clawed toes and a 5th, thumb-like
digit.