The Eastern Chipmunk is a brightly colored, conspicuously patterned rodent averaging 9-10 inches in total length. It is easy to identify, due to its two white stripes bordered by black on its sides.

This mammal lives in open woods, rocky habitats and brushy areas, including suburban backyards. It is most abundant in mature hardwood forests containing Sugar Maple and Beech Trees, with a relatively open understory.

It digs a burrow for shelter with cavities for storing food. The burrow is often an elaborate maze of inter-connecting tunnels, some tunnels serve as drains to minimize flooding. It also stores large amounts of food in chambers constructed in the burrow and spends much of its time running back and forth from trees to its subterranean home.

Eastern Chipmunks eat a wide variety of foods, especially acorns and nuts. Their feeding habits reflect the seasonal supply of seeds, fruits, nuts, fungi and roots that are available. They can be observed stuffing their two internal cheek pouches as they gather food.

This animal doesn’t truly hibernate, but it does spend a lot of time sleeping in the Winter. It may wake up every few weeks to eat the food it has stored. It communicates with other chipmunks by chattering. Eastern Chipmunks help many plants and fungi by spreading seeds and spores as they travel the forest floor.

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