Seattle Wildlife Calendar Calendar

Beaver mating season in Seattle begins in early spring (February through April) and kits are born at the end of spring, or early summer. Beaver litters are typically between two and five kits. The kits aren’t always the only baby beavers in the colony, though—young beavers often stay with their parents for up to two years. In some cases, while the parents are having a new litter, there may still be four to eight other siblings from the last two years’ litters. Beavers live in a colony, called a lodge, that contains many family members. They all look out for each other and will sound an alarm by smacking their tails onto the water. 

During the spring, mice who live outdoors (and indoors) may be breeding. Litters are born with 5-6 hairless babies. They have a rapid growth rate and at about 2 weeks of age the babies will have fur and their eyes will be open. At about 3 weeks of age the baby mice will begin taking short trips away from the nest to find food. A female mouse is actively breeding year round and could have as many as 10 litters per year. 

Douglas squirrels usually breed once a year, between February and April. The female Douglas squirrel will gather twigs, bark, moss, and other nesting materials to make her nest. The female will give birth about one month after mating to about 4-6 kits. The Douglas squirrel kits may stay with the mother for the first winter and will disperse the following spring to discover and claim their own territory. The squirrel kits will be self-sufficient once they reach three months old. The most notable feature of the Douglas squirrel is their dark gray coat with a bright orange belly. 

Young are usually born in the early spring. They are raised by the female alone, due to her running off the male after reproducing. The female can have between 2-6 young per litter, and spring time is not the only season in which they breed. Eastern gray squirrels mate again in the early summer to have another litter in the autumn. Due to this breeding cycle, the eastern gray squirrel produce twice as many offspring as native squirrels in the area. Eastern grays thrive in urban areas due to the readily available food sources (bird feeders, garbage, friendly people who feed them in parks), access to shelter, less competition from other squirrels, and hardly any natural predators. The females will be out and about during the spring time with her young, teaching them all they need to know about being a squirrel. 

Spring time means lots of changes for the long tailed weasel. As the weather begins to warm, the weasels will shed their white winter coat and replace it with their darker brown coat. This will help them stay in style, and also blend in with their surroundings. It’s around this time of year when the females will impregnate themselves, taking advantage of their ability to delay the fertilization process. The females will look for the perfect burrow, or nesting sight to raise her kits. Even if this means killing the animal(s) that made the burrow. They will be on the hunt for rotting trees, burrows made by rabbits, squirrel nests, or areas under tree roots or old stumps that are hollowed out. As territorial as the already are, the females will become even more so to defend her burrow and her soon to be family. Once born, a litter can consist of anywhere between 3-8 kits, and will take about 5-8 weeks to fully wean them. Although they are born blind and  mostly hairless, their growth is rapid. By 4-5 weeks their eyes will be open and they will begin exploring the world with their mother.

Mountain beavers are commonly found in dense moist forests, or damp ravines in urban areas. in western Washington. They can also be found at steep sloped areas with fern vegitation. In the early spring, new kits are developing their incisors which will help facilitate their gathering of food, and nesting materials. Mountain beavers are rodents that constantly have to gnaw on hard objects, such as bark of trees or tough vegetation in order to grind down their teeth. Not only must they grind their teeth down on a daily basis, but they also have to consume a minimum of 1/3 of their body weight in water. Mountain beavers have primitive kidneys, and

Typically dark brown in color, muskrats have dense coats that are practically waterproof and covered in coarse guard hairs. They grow up to 24 inches in length and weigh around 4 pounds. As muskrats reproduce quickly and become aggressive when cornered, trapping and removing them without professional assistance can be both dangerous and time-consuming.

Baby northern flying squirrels are born in the early to late spring, depending on when the female mated. Northern flying squirrels have between two to five young. The mother is the only one that rears the young. The males are driven away and the female defends the nest from other squirrels. The young ones will then learn from their mother what to eat, how to store their food, and how to glide. Northern flying squirrels actually do not fly, the glide. Sometimes up to 100ft, from tree to tree to find food or get to their nest. It may take up to eight weeks of age for the young squirrel to muster up confidence to take its first flight. The membrane that allows the squirrel to glide is really awkward for the squirrels when walking. Thus, it makes them susceptible to predation if on the ground and not in a hiding place or in the trees. 

During the spring time, you can find rats in any typical area you normally would. These little rodents will scurry around anywhere they find shelter and food sources. During the spring time, rats are known to begin to p ick up their breeding pace, however spring is not the only season in which rats reproduce. Rats reproduce at a very rapid pace, with a gestation of only 21 days litters are born almost every month year-round. During spring, rats will forage as usual, obtaining nutrients that may have been lost if the previous winter was harsh.

When the weather begins to warm, raccoons will begin looking for a mate. Their mating season falls between January and April, but some will breed late. The male and female raccoons do not raise their young together, and the male will leave to its own territory as soon as the reproduction process has finished. During their gestation of about 65 days, the female will look for a cozy and quiet place to build her nest. Depending on how cold the winter was, their thick winter coat will begin to shed, and females will use this to line their spring nests. Between late March and July, the female raccoons will have a litter of 2-6 completely helpless, hairless kits. During spring, female raccoons are typically focusing on raising their kits, and the males are establishing their own territories and foraging for food. 

During this time of year, Washington’s river otters can be found playing long the banks, or in the water. Typically, female otters will be preparing to give birth to 2-4 pups. Mating the year before, they’ll be looking for suitable spots to make their dens. River otters, unlike their much larger cousins the sea otter, give birth in a den on dry land. This is to keep the pups in a safe and secluded place, and to shelter them from the unpredictable weather. Male otters’ will be defending their territory, and pretty much ignoring any females or pups that find themselves in his territory. In March-May is when females will give birth to small blind, toothless, and pretty much immobile pup’s. Their mother will raise them alone, and teach them how to be a successful otter. Almost immediately after giving birth, female otters will mate again, but not give birth again until the next spring through a process called delated fertilization. 

During the spring time, rats are known to begin to p ick up their breeding pace, however spring is not the only season in which rats reproduce. Rats reproduce at a very rapid pace, with a gestation of only 21 days litters are born almost every month year-round. During spring, rats will forage as usual, obtaining nutrients that may have been lost if the previous winter was harsh.

When weather begins to warm in the spring, female striped skunks will begin looking for the perfect burrow, if they are unable to find one they will dig their own. When they create their own burrow, female skunks will typically dig out a funnel, about five feet long, and line the chamber with soft grasses and leaves. This is because they are preparing for the birth of 2-10 helpless kits. If for any reason this litter is lost, female skunks may breed more than once in one breeding season. Striped skunks breed between February and April, and with a gestation of 59-77 days their kits will be born between April and June. Baby skunks are born alive; however, they are hairless, sightless, and defenseless. Mother skunks are extremely protective, even more so than some other mothers. This is because they have numerous predators, and a helpless kit would be an easy snack. With coyotes, weasels, and bobcats, the mother also has to worry about male skunks. Male skunks do not assist in raising their young; in fact, if a male skunk were to come across a den with kits he would kill and eat them. However, he must maneuver around and avoid the mother or be blinded by her spray. As spring nears its end, the kits will begin to follow their mother around, and learn how to survive on their own. 

During the spring time, you can find townsend chipmunks beginning to stir from their hibernation. They will be a little thin, due to sleeping away the winter. This is a very brief time for reproducing, only about 2 weeks after waking up from hibernation will they mate. After this process, they will begin foraging for much needed nutrients. Females will begin preparing their burrows for their litter that will be born in about 28 days. Born hairless, blind, and defenseless, her litter of 3-6 kits will be completely dependent on her. Males will be out re-establishing their territories.

During the springtime, vole signs may appear; you may find runway paths the voles created in the grass after the winter snow melts away. You may find some damage done to your spring plants. Voles love to eat bulbs, grasses, flowers, vegetables, fruits, and roots of plants. They primarily live in tunnels, and you may see signs of tunnels under the lawn surface.

During the winter, mice do not hibernate and remain active. When they venture out, they will, however, stay even closer to the nest. Female mice may continue to have litters, but life will continue as normal for these little rodents. In the wintertime, it is more common to find mice inside man-made structures. Although mice do prefer to make their homes in quiet places and away from human activity, there is still a great possibility that they will find their way inside a home. 

Douglas squirrels do not hibernate through the winter. Instead, Douglas squirrels live off the food reserves they collected during the summer/autumn season and possibly foraging on the left over cones. Sometimes, the stored seeds and nuts are not recovered. That leads to little seedlings sprouting the next year or so. Thus, the douglas squirrel inadvertently helps maintain the health of the forest. They will hunker down at their nest site, either mother and babies or individually. If the weather is good enough, sometimes the mating season may start as soon as February. 

For the eastern gray squirrel, mating can begin in December or January. The males will fight to determine dominance, and the winner will have a better chance to reproduce. The winner persues the female through the trees until they are stimulated enough to majority of litters are born in March, which the female squirrels are already preparing for now. The eastern gray squirrel does not hibernate in Washington; however, their activity will slow a bit. There are usually several dens that are occupied throughout the year as well as several nests built high in the tree canopy. This would be the best scenario with the eastern gray squirrel. Unfortunately, it is more common to find these squirrels in homes or commercial buildings. Eastern gray squirrels are notorious for getting into man made structures, so much so that they are most commonly found in urban areas as opposed to the other native squirrels in Western Washington. Manmade structures, such as our nice, cozy homes, have become the new norm in terms of where they will co-habitate. Squirrels have been known to store their food cache in attics during the winter, where normally the cache would be stored underground, in tree hollows, or rotting trees. 

With the acceptance of their shiny new white coat of fur, there is no dramatic change in the weasels’ behavior during the wintertime. They will hunker down in their burrows, which they have stolen from other animals. Because their prey remains readily available, they can continue living as usual through the snowy months. Feasting on rats, mice, voles, chipmunks, or squirrels; the long-tailed weasel will use the element of surprise when hunting. Their new white coat helps them blend in with the snow around them, which helps when hunting for prey. But it also helps them avoid being preyed upon by their own predators, such as coyotes, owls, bobcats, or foxes. 

During the winter months, mountain beavers are typically not seen often. They do not hibernate and will make burrows through the snow to travel. Mountain beavers typically mate during the winter, and their gestation is about 30 days. 

Autumn is when things slow down a little, and the preservation of their food supplies ramps up. With trees that still have their cones or nuts, the northern flying squirrel will continue collecting for its winter stash. Sometimes, the nuts and seeds will never be recovered. So, squirrels hiding seeds and nuts helps the forest replant itself. The squirrels will also molt (shed) its fur coat in preparation for winter, which will come in thicker for the winter weather. They will use the shed fur to line its nest. Their coloration is a cinnamon to gray-brown for the body, and a cream colored belly, which helps at night to disguise itself with the darker colors in the forests they reside in. 

Although rats do not hibernate, their daily activities will decrease during the colder months of winter. However, during especially harsh winters, it is not uncommon to find them tucked away in their burrows for multiple days. Reproduction habits slow, mainly due to the climate change and the limited resources; however, it does not stop. 

Raccoons in the winter will typically seek out dens, or protected areas where they can live out the cold months. Unfortunately, these little critters will find their way into residential homes or industrial sites on occasion. Their coat will thicken, but will be in proportion to the severity of the winter they are experiencing. A raccoon’s tail will also fatten up, and they will wrap it around themselves much like a blanket. Although food may be scarce, a raccoon is very good at adapting to its circumstances.

Raccoons enter a state called torpor, which is much like hibernation; however, it is not precisely the same. This state lowers the mammals’ metabolism, blood sugar, and body temperature. As the amount of energy they need for survival drops significantly, they are able to sleep through most of winter. Torpor allows the raccoons to sleep in their dens for weeks on end, because they are not hibernating, on warmer days they will emerge from their dens and forage for food. This is helpful for the raccoons because they will remain alert to predators and potential prey. 

Otters do not hibernate, meaning they are active all year round even in the cold months of winter. Their thick coat will thicken even more, allowing them to preserve their body heat in the frigid water. Otter life will continue as normal during the winter, males will be defending their territories, and females will be getting prepared for the birth of their next litter. 

Although rats do not hibernate, their daily activities will decrease during the colder months of winter. However, during especially harsh winters, it is not uncommon to find them tucked away in their burrows for multiple days. Reproduction habits slow, mainly due to the climate change and the limited resources; however, it does not stop. 

During the winter months voles do not hibernate; they will make tunnels through and under the snow. They will nibble on shrubs and tree bark for nutrition. Voles will cut runway paths through grasses and small plants, feeding on vegetation as they move under the snow. You may not notice this until the snow melts away.