eastern chipmunk

(Tamias striatus)

Conservation Status
eastern chipmunk
Photo by Margot Avey
  IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

 
  NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

The stripes on the side and back end at the reddish rump.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Head and body: 5 to 6

Tail: 3 to 4

 
     
 

Sign

 
 

 

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
  Least chipmunk (Neotamias minimus) is a smaller animal. The middle stripe on the back continues to the base of the tail. The rump is grayish-brown, not reddish-brown. In Minnesota it is found in the Arrowhead and north-central regions only.  
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Deciduous forest edges, brushy areas

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Behavior

 
 

 

 
     
 

Lifespan

 
 

2 to 8 years

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

 

 
     
 

Food

 
 

Nuts, acorns, seeds, mushrooms, fruits, berries, corn, insects, bird eggs.

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

7, 24, 29, 30.

 
  7/20/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Class Mammalia (mammals)  
  Subclass Theria  
  Infraclass Placentalia (placental mammals)  
  Superorder Euarchontoglires (primates, rodents, and allies)  
  Order Rodentiia (rodents)  
  Suborder Sciuromorpha (squirrels, dormice, and mountain beavers)  
 

Family

Sciuridae (squirrels)  
 

Subfamily

Xerinae (ground and African tree squirrels)  
  Tribe Tamiini chipmunks)  
  Genus Tamias  
       
 

The genus Tamias contains three extinct species and just a single extant (living) species, Tamias striatus.

 
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

Bangs chipmunk (Tamias striatus venustus)

common eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus striatus)

Door chipmunk (Tamias striatus doorsiensis)

eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus pipilans)

eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus rufescens)

Fisher’s eastern chipmunk, Fisher chipmunk (Tamias striatus fisheri)

gray chipmunk (Tamias striatus griseus)

Lyster chipmunk (Tamias striatus lysteri)

Ohio chipmunk (Tamias striatus ohioensis)

Peninsula chipmunk (Tamias striatus peninsulae)

Quebec chipmunk (Tamias striatus quebecensis)

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

eastern chipmunk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

Share your photo of this mammal.

 
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Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.
 
 

Matt Marlow

 
 

First time seeing one here. Parents have never seen one here. In their late 70’s early 80’s.

 
    eastern chipmunk      
 

Lynn Rubey

 
 

An Eastern Chipmunk foraging for food along the walking path towards the river in The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge in Lac qui Parle County.

  eastern chipmunk  
           
        eastern chipmunk  
 

Ramona Abrego

 
    eastern chipmunk   eastern chipmunk  
           
    eastern chipmunk      
 

Dan W. Andree

 
 

Last Spring 2017 while out in some woodlands along a small creek in Norman Co. Mn. I turned around and noticed a chipmunk watching me while it ate American Basswood tree leaves.

  eastern chipmunk  
 

Margot Avey

 
 

I took this photo in Duluth at Hawk Ridge.

 
    eastern chipmunk      
 

Wayne Rasmussen

 
 

Cascade SP residents include a variety of squirrels. These were captured with a Sony CD1000 digital camera in June of 2001.

  eastern chipmunk  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
    eastern chipmunk   eastern chipmunk  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Tamias striatus (Eastern Chipmunk)
Allen Chartier
 
  Tamias striatus (Eastern Chipmunk)  
  Tamias striatus (Eastern Chipmunk)
John Clare
 
  Tamias striatus (Eastern Chipmunk)  

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this mammal.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
  Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) eating viburnum berries
colong7034
 
   
 
About

Published on Oct 18, 2013

Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) eating viburnum berries. Chippy devoured almost all the berries on the bush in about 1 hour. I opened the front door a crack, positioned the camera lens in the opening, and hid behind the door to get the shots. At first I thought (s)he was scared by my presence and running away. Then I realized it was stuffed and had to go and empty its chubby cheeks every few minutes! Shot 10/17/13

   
  Eastern Chipmunk (Sciuridae: Tamias striatus) Eating Boxelder Seeds
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Sep 25, 2009

Photographed at Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (25 September 2009).

   
  Eastern Chipmunk (Sciuridae: Tamias striatus) Vocalizing
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Aug 19, 2009

Photographed at the Rydell NWR, Minnesota (18 August 2009).

   
  Eastern Chipmunk
rnd4
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Aug 16, 2009

Eastern Chipmunks (Tamias striatus) at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.

   
  Eastern Chipmunk - April 3, 2013
Don Gagnon
 
   
 
About

Published on Apr 3, 2013

Eastern chipmunk (Tamias (Tamias) striatus), Stuffing Cheeks with Cracked Corn and Sunflower Seeds, Wildlife Garden, Gagnon Wildlife Habitat, Wednesday afternoon, April 3, 2013, 2:09 PM - Canon PowerShot SX260 HS MVI_30420; 1:32 min.

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this mammal.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
  Kylene Olson
7/20/2022

Location: Chippewa County, western Minnesota

 

 
  Matt Marlow
7/19/2020

Location: Stevens County

First time seeing one here. Parents have never seen one here. In their late 70’s early 80’s.

eastern chipmunk

 
  Lynn Rubey

Location: Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge

An Eastern Chipmunk foraging for food along the walking path towards the river in The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge in Lac qui Parle County.

eastern chipmunk

 
  Dan W. Andree
Spring 2017

Location: in some woodlands along a small creek in Norman Co. Mn

I turned around and noticed a chipmunk watching me while it ate American Basswood tree leaves.

eastern chipmunk

 
  Margot Avey
10/18/2015

Location: Duluth, MN

I took this photo in Duluth at Hawk Ridge.

eastern chipmunk

 
  Ramona Abrego
4/20/2015

Location: Forest Lake

eastern chipmunk

 
  Wayne Rasmussen
6/8/2001

Location: Cascade River State Park

Cascade SP residents include a variety of squirrels. These were captured with a Sony CD1000 digital camera in June of 2001.

eastern chipmunk

 
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

Binoculars


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