Mammals · Rodentia · Sciuridae

Southern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys volans

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Despite its common name it does not really fly but glides on the patagium stretched between its limbs, covering considerable distances between trees.

Weight

47 g – 65 g

Lifespan

5 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestOmnivore Nocturnal Solitary Temperate forest Mammal

5countries 16parks22same family

Fun facts

It can raise up to two litters a year, breeding in spring and summer.
It eats nuts, seeds, fruit, fungi, insects and occasionally birds' eggs.
It lives in deciduous and mixed woodland of eastern North America.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Deciduous and mixed woodland of eastern North America, from south-eastern Canada to Florida, with isolated populations in Central America
Birth weight: 3-5 grams at birth, blind, deaf and hairless
Size at birth: 3 - 5 grams at birth
Sexual maturity: 9-12 months
Gestation / incubation: 40 days
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 7 young per litter (2-4 most often), with up to 2 litters a year
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 19 years in captivity

Sources consulted: University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; NHPBS NatureWorks; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Animalia.bio; Texas Tech Mammals of Texas; DiscoverLife; Animal Diversity Web; PMC (genome assembly study)