![]() ![]() The capacity of these cheek pouches increases with maturity. Then it uses its tongue to shift them backwards and stuff them between its teeth and the extensible skin in the cheek area, where they are held while the animal collects more food. They write, "When preparing food for storage, the chipmunk holds fruit and seeds in its dexterous front paws, and with specialized incisors, which are especially long and directed forward, it removes seeds from pods. We often see them eating blackberries, blueberries, strawberries and other native berries along with various grass and plant seeds.īritishColumbia wonderfully describes the process a chipmunk uses when it finds food. However, when the chips are down, they will eat sunflower chips. Our chipmunks are especially fond on black-oil sunflower seeds. Watch a video clip of two young Townsend's chipmunks in a tussle boxing with each other. Townsend's chipmunks mate in spring and in June, little chipmunks are out and about learning about life and having fun. ![]() Because our climate is mild, chipmunks often have two litters. Watch a video clip of a female Townsend's Chipmunk gathering straw for her nest.įemale chipmunks raise their young without any help from males. The entrance holes are 2 inches across and can be 5 feet long.Ĭhipmunks use straw, grass and other soft materials for their nests. The burrows are usually dug underneath bushes, rocks or logs. Each chipmunk has its own underground burrow. Surprisingly, chipmunks are not social - at least with their living quarters. He was a naturalist and ornithologist who was invited to join an expedition across the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Coast in 1883. The Townsend's Chipmunk, along with Townsend's Mole and Townsend's Warbler, are some of the mammals that were named after John Kirk Townsend. The tail is between 4 and 6 inches.īoth the Townsend's Chipmunk and the Douglas Squirrel were first noted by Lewis and Clark on February 25, 1806, at Fort Clatsop, Oregon. It is the one of the largest chipmunks in North America with the head and body measuring between 5.5 and 6.5 inches. The only chipmunk species in Coastal Oregon, the Townsend's Chipmunk, is a member of the squirrel family, Sciuridae.
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