First Advisor

Richard B. Forbes

Term of Graduation

Summer 1977

Date of Publication

8-8-1977

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.) in Biology

Department

Biology

Language

English

Subjects

Squirrels -- Oregon -- Portland, Squirrels -- Behavior

DOI

10.15760/etd.2539

Physical Description

1 online resource (2, 58 pages)

Abstract

Populations of diurnal tree squirrels in the Portland area were located by mail surveys, personal interviews, and field inspections. Pine squirrels were found to reside in thickly wooded residential areas with dense understories and running water nearby. Western gray squirrels occupied habitats in relatively quiet residential neighborhoods, in areas well supplied with mast crops. Western fox squirrels were found to coexist with gray squirrels in their preferred habitat, and also to thrive in park settings with few mast trees and high activity and noise levels. In areas occupied by both fox and gray squirrels, dominant-subordinate relationships were noted. Each species tolerated the others.

The behavior study consisted of live-trapping, marking, and observing populations of squirrels. Data gathered included body weights, activity peaks, food items utilized, predation, and social behavior. In one park, distinct groups of fox squirrels utilized distinct feeding areas.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Comments

If you are the rightful copyright holder of this dissertation or thesis and wish to have it removed from the Open Access Collection, please submit a request to pdxscholar@pdx.edu and include clear identification of the work, preferably with URL.

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/16114

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