Where Do Chipmunks Go in the Winter?

Written by Alan Lemus
Published: February 21, 2023
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Chipmunks are more than their attractive features in pop culture. The tiny members of the squirrel family (Sciuridae) are brisk, active, and recognized by their hairy tails, plump cheeks, stripes, and big, shiny eyes.

A chipmunk‘s upper body is covered in reddish-brown fur with five distinct dark brown lines and contrastive light brown stripes on the rear. They also have a tawny line that extends from their whiskers to below their ears. Not to mention their big food-carrying cheek pouches. They can stuff their cheeks with up to 10 nuts at once.

The squirrel family also includes, among others, marmots, ground squirrels, woodchucks, prairie dogs, and flying and tree squirrels. These species are present in all continents except Australia and Antarctica. But where do chipmunks go in the winter? Read on to find out.

Where Do Chipmunks Go in the Winter?

There’s nowhere chipmunks love more than the underground; they live there throughout the year. In warmer months, they dig burrows below the surface of the ground. The situation, however, changes in the winter, when they dig their holes much deeper to survive the cold. 

Unlike most other rodents, chipmunks do not sleep nonstop during the winter when they hibernate. Rather than total hibernation, they go into torpor, which is akin to partial hibernation when they spend some time sleeping. 

chipmunk having nuts

Some chipmunks build their homes in logs, shrubs, or nests, while others dig burrows with chambers and tunnels.

©colacat/Shutterstock.com

Size

Chipmunks are regarded as the smallest members of the Sciuridae family, typically weighing 1-5 ounces (28-142 grams). However, they reach 4-7 inches (0-18 centimeters) tall, and their tails can lengthen to 3-5 inches (8-13 centimeters). 

The biggest species is the Eastern chipmunk, prevalent in eastern North American deciduous woodlands. It has a body length of 5.5-7.5 inches (14-19 centimeters), a weight range of 2.5-5 ounces(70-142 grams), and a tail length of 8-11 centimeters.

The least chipmunk weighs almost half as much as the Eastern chipmunk, making it the smallest species.

Young chipmunks are born in the late spring and can spend 6-8 weeks in the nest. Every year, female chipmunks produce one or two litters, each containing two or eight young.

Habitat

All 25 terrestrial squirrels, except for one — the Siberian chipmunk — can be found in North America. Their distribution also extends to Canada and Mexico. The Siberian chipmunk predominantly inhabits Asia.

Chipmunks, including forests, alpine meadows, mountains, plains, and deserts, are commonly spotted scurrying through their habitats. Some build their homes in logs, shrubs, or nests, while others dig elaborate burrows with chambers and tunnels. Their tunnels may range in length from 10-30 feet (3-9.1 meters).

Diet

Chipmunks are omnivorous and don’t have particular food preferences. They typically forage on the ground among vegetation, rocks, and logs to protect themselves from snakes, coyotes, foxes, owls, hawks, weasels, and other predators. Foraging takes up the majority of a chipmunk’s day. One chipmunk can collect as many as 165 acorns in a day. In addition, they consume insects, grains, berries, nuts, and seeds. 

Besides grass, shoots, and many other plant materials, they consume young frogs, worms, bird eggs, and fungi. They are also opportunistic predators of hatchlings of ground-nesting birds. 

Roles Within the Ecosystem

Chipmunks are essential members of the forest ecosystem. For one, they have good at climbing trees. The role of chipmunks as prey for many predatory animals and birds is also significant.

Truffles rely on chipmunks and other mammals to spread their spores because they can’t do that through the air. They eat various fungi, including some that have symbiotic relationships with plants. Their gathering and storing of tree seeds are essential for establishing seedlings. 

As they spread seeds and aerate soils, the striped squirrels also disperse microorganisms that supply nutrients to tree roots. Some gardeners are amused by their shenanigans and set up feeders to lure them, while others see them as pests that eat bulbs, scatter mulch, and steal seeds.

Behavior

These tiny squirrels run so fast that they usually appear as a blur. However, chipmunks are most active outside their burrows during the dawn and sunset hours. They emerge in the morning to lick the dew off porches and plants. In the evening, they linger around bird feeders for their nightly fill.

According to the National Wildlife Foundation, chipmunk sounds are chip, deeper chuck, and startle call. The startle call is a repetitive bird-like chirp often used to signal a potential threat. However, it’s believed that females also use it as a mating call.

The only time chipmunks interact with one another is when mating occurs in the spring. Otherwise, they are solitary animals and tend to avoid one another. Their gestation lasts about 30 days, after which female chipmunks give birth to young chippies known as pups. 

Female chipmunks build a nest in the deep parts of their burrows where they reproduce. However, they don’t develop relationships with pups. Instead, they stay put as the pups depart after two months to dig holes and discover their territory. 

Surviving Winter

Chipmunk playing near its nest in Colorado

A chipmunk typically breathes 60 times each minute.

©Ryan Narron/Shutterstock.com

Chipmunks have excellent winter survival strategies. During hibernation, they get up to eat, relieve themselves, and warm up once every few days. This is because the period comes with physiological changes. As a result, a chipmunk typically maintains a body temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature can drop to or near 40 degrees Fahrenheit if it is frigid outside when they sleep. 

A chipmunk typically breathes 60 times each minute. However, the pace drops to 20 breaths per minute when it gets chilly, and they go into torpor. They also experience a decrease in heart rate, going from 350 beats a minute to a maximum of 4 beats per minute.

This long-evolved survival strategy of sleeping for a few days, waking up to feed, and relieving themselves helps their bodies recover from hibernation. 

Winter is Coming

During winter, inadequate food can cause chipmunks to starve to death, in addition to the cold that has them in its grip. They know this, so they start planning for the winter months in the fall. They collect acorns, nuts, and seeds as fall approaches because they are calorie- and nutrient-rich and tend to last. Their cheeks are stuffed with food as they hurry to their burrows. One 4-ounce chipmunk may store up to 8 pounds of food in a good year.

Chipmunks build nests in their underground burrows throughout the summer. These nests are like winter homes where they sleep away from the cold. The burrow features a lengthy underground tunnel with multiple rooms and entrances. It is divided into two levels. The shallow tunnel is close to the surface, while the deeper tunnel has more room and space. These burrows are typically situated on a slope to facilitate water drainage. 

The deeper tunnel stores winter food supply, hibernation, and overnight sleep. The chipmunks use a thick layer of plant matter, such as grass and leaves, to line and keep the burrow warm. They withdraw here in late October and wait until warm days surface. The shallow tunnel is for afternoon naps between foraging and has easy outdoor access.

Chippies clean the freshly dug dirt from the holes in the ground to keep predators away.

Impacts of Climate Change on Hibernation

According to research by Craig Frank of Fodhard University, chipmunks in warmer regions are less likely to hibernate over the winter due to the higher temperatures brought on by global warming.

Chipmunks that follow standard hibernation practices have a winter survival probability of around 87%. In contrast, those that stay active in the wake of warm winter weather are nearly guaranteed to pass away by spring.

Frank worries that his discovery may indicate disastrous outcomes for other animals that hibernate.

Protecting Your Garden and Home From Chipmunks

You may be one of those who think chippies are adorable. But let’s face it; they can cause some severe damage to your garden, lawn, or sidewalks. They can dig tunnels, attack bird feeders, and devour berries and bulbs. You wouldn’t want an animal destroying your hard work. Would you?

Other times, a chipmunk may get inside a comfortable attic or wall hole and decide it would be a suitable spot to build a home. Unfortunately, it can destroy nearby objects by chewing and gnawing. Sheetrock, wiring, wood, insulation, plastic, and other materials aren’t safe from the nibbling spree. 

If it enters through a little hole, you can be sure it will gnaw it wider and may even bore new holes for easy entry and exit. This situation may result in higher heating and cooling costs, in addition to being unattractive.

Disease transmission by chipmunks has also been documented. Chipmunks spread common illnesses like Hantavirus, leptospirosis, salmonella, encephalitis, rabies, and the plague.

Here are some surefire ways to protect your garden and home from the cute scavengers. 

  • Mount bird feeders atop PVC or metal pipes that are difficult to climb, and tidy up any tempting seed spills. Consider interspersing your plants with some species that are less appealing to chipmunks. Some include French marigolds, grape hyacinths, daffodils, fritillaria, and common camas. 
  • Check your home’s exterior, paying particular attention to the roof area for gaps or cracks. Patch any openings you find. 
  • You should maintain mowed lawns, keep your garden beds away from woodpiles and other convenient rodent hiding places, and border the beds with gravel or stones. Chippies are wary of predators and often avoid open areas.
  • Some gardeners catch chipmunks in traps and release them far from their gardens. Access to well-known dens is essential for their survival. The animals will starve if relocated in the fall without enough time to dig new burrows and stockpile food.
  • Confirm the presence and condition of your screens before opening any windows.
  • When sprayed on plants, chopped chilies, garlic, dish soap, and vegetable oil can repel chipmunks.
  • Chipmunks are typically startled by sound and movement, so flapping garden flags or loud wind chimes may scare them away. 
  • Check for leaks and clogs in the gutters. If water drips outside your house, the wood will become soft and more inviting for chipmunks to nibble.

A chipmunk could unintentionally enter a building now and again. It could be rummaging through an open space and finding something attractive inside the house. Then, the critter gets stuck without knowing how to escape. 

It’s crucial to remember not to attempt to free the animal on your own in this situation. Also, avoid attempts to corner or capture it. As with other wild rodents, chipmunks may bite or scratch to defend against perceived threats. Moreover, they might rip holes in screens, topple breakables, or destroy curtains in a hasty search for a route back outdoors. 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © RT Images/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Alan is a freelance writer and an avid traveler. He specializes in travel content. When he visits home he enjoys spending time with his family Rottie, Opie.

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