Side-by-side comparison of squirrels

This page attempts to provide a standardized side-by-side comparison of all species in the US that are in the Squirrel family (Sciuridae) — tree squirrels, ground squirrels, marmots (also called woodchucks or groundhogs), prairie dogs, flying squirrels, and chipmunks. Standardized images for some species are not available, yet. For species not represented with an image here, images from the field are typically available on the individual species pages. Adults in summer pelage are shown unless otherwise noted.

Ammospermophilus (antelope ground squirrels)

Harris's Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus harrisii) photographed by Craig Robson in Pima County, Arizona.
Texas Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus interpres) photographed by Chris Harrison in Franklin Mountains State Park, Texas.
White-tailed Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus) photographed by lonnyholmes in Clark County, Nevada.
Nelson's Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus nelsoni) photographed in California by Paul Donahue.

Callospermophilus (golden-mantled ground squirrels)

Common Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Callospermophilus lateralis) photographed on Mount Howard, Oregon. © 2021 Rick Overson & Laura Steger
Cascade Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Callospermophilus saturatus) photographed by Pierce Louderback in Pierce County, Washington.

Cynomys (prairie dogs or burrowing ground squirrels)

Species not pictured: Gunnison's Prairie Dog (Cynomys gunnisoni), White-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys leucurus), Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus).

Utah Prairie Dog (Cynomys parvidens) observed by Creed Clayton in southern Utah.

Glaucomys (flying squirrels)

Species not pictured: Humboldt's Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys oregonensis)

Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus)
Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys volans)

Ictidomys (ground squirrels)

Rio Grande Ground Squirrel (Ictidomys parvidens) photographed by Amanda Janusz near Fort Stockton, Texas.
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus)

Marmota (marmots or woodchucks or groundhogs)

Species not pictured: Alaska Marmot (Marmota broweri), Woodchuck (Marmota monax), Olympic Marmot (Marmota olympus).

Hoary Marmot (Marmota caligata) photographed by Eemeli Haverinen in Denali National Park, Alaska.
Yellow-bellied Marmot (Marmota flaviventris) photographed by Rick Overson in Custer Gallatin National Forest, Montana.

Neotamias (chipmunks)

See also Tamias for one species of chipmunk that is in a different genus. Species not pictured: Yellow-pine Chipmunk (Neotamias amoenus), Alpine Chipmunk (Neotamias alpinus), Gray-footed Chipmunk (Neotamias canipes), Gray-collared Chipmunk (Neotamias cinereicollis), Crater Chipmunk (Neotamias cratericus), Coulee Chipmunk (Neotamias grisescens), Merriam's Chipmunk (Neotamias merriami), Least Chipmunk (Neotamias minimus), California Chipmunk (Neotamias obscurus), Yellow-cheeked Chipmunk (Neotamias ochrogenys), Palmer's Chipmunk (Neotamias palmeri), Panamint Chipmunk (Neotamias panamintinus), Long-eared Chipmunk (Neotamias quadrimaculatus), Colorado Chipmunk (Neotamias quadrivittatus), Red-tailed Chipmunk (Neotamias ruficaudus), Hopi Chipmunk (Neotamias rufus), Shadow Chipmunk (Neotamias senex), Siskiyou Chipmunk (Neotamias siskiyou), Sonoma Chipmunk (Neotamias sonomae), Lodgepole Chipmunk (Neotamias speciosus), Townsend's Chipmunk (Neotamias townsendii).

Cliff Chipmunk (Neotamias dorsalis) photographed by Rick Overson in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona.
Lodgepole Chipmunk (Neotamias speciosus)
Uinta Chipmunk (Neotamias umbrinus)

Otospermophilus (ground squirrels)

California Ground Squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi) observed by Rick Overson and Laura Steger.
Douglas's Ground Squirrel (Otospermophilus douglasii) observed by Jonathan Eisen.
Common Rock Squirrel (Otospermophilus variegatus) observed by Rick Overson and Laura Steger.

Poliocitellus (ground squirrels)

Franklin's Ground Squirrel (Poliocitellus franklinii) observed by Kathlin Simpkins in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Sciurus (tree squirrels)

Abert's Squirrel (Sciurus aberti) observed by Marleigh Fletcher in Pima County, Arizona.
Arizona Gray Squirrel (Sciurus arizonensis)
Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
Western Gray Squirrel (Sciurus griseus) observed by nutsaboutkitties in San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, California.
Mexican Fox Squirrel (Sciurus nayaritensis)
Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)

Tamias (chipmunks)

Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

Tamiasciurus (pine squirrels)

Douglas's Squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii) photographed by VJ Anderson in Washington state.
Fremont's Squirrel (Tamiasciurus fremonti) photographed by Rachel Stringham in Apache County, Arizona.
Fremont's Squirrel (Tamiasciurus fremonti) photographed by Brad Shine in Lincoln National Forest, Cloudcroft, New Mexico.
North American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

Urocitellus (ground squirrels)

Species not pictured: Uinta Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus armatus), Belding's Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus beldingi), Idaho Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus), Merriam's Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus canus), Columbian Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus columbianus), Wyoming Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus elegans), Snake River Plains Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus idahoensis), Piute Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus mollis), Richardson's Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus richardsonii), Townsend's Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus townsendii), Washington Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus washingtoni).

Arctic Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus parryii) photographed by Steve Hillebrand/USFWS.

Xerospermophilus (ground squirrels)

Mohave Ground Squirrel (Xerospermophilus mohavensis) photographed by kliewer in Kern County, California.
Spotted Ground Squirrel (Xerospermophilus spilosoma) photographed by mnwild in southeastern Arizona.
Round-tailed Ground Squirrel (Xerospermophilus tereticaudus) photographed by Eric CLeveland in Twentynine Palms, California.