The Eastern Chipmunk

It’s still rather cold on Prince Edward Island, but the Eastern chipmunks in our backyard don’t seem to mind. They are busy running around and grabbing the seeds from under the feeders.

This spring, we have a new chipmunk in our yard. We decided to name it “Cheeky”. Just like “Stripe”, the chipmunk we fed last year, Cheeky has also become used to us very quickly and is now feeding from our hands.

In case you were wondering, we can easily tell the two chipmunks apart because Stripe has a tiny piece of his left ear missing.

Below are a few pictures of the chipmunks in our yard. They were taken last fall.

Eastern Chipmunk Facts

• Weight: 2 – 5 ounces (57 – 142 grams)
• Length: 5 – 7 inches (12.7 – 17.78 centimeters)
• Average lifespan: 3 years
• Food: seeds, nuts, mushrooms, fruits, insects, bulbs, and bird eggs
• It got its name from the “chip-chip” sound it makes.
• During the winter, the Eastern chipmunk does not truly hibernate, instead, it may enter long periods of torpor.
• Cheek pouches are made of stretchy skin so that they can be easily stuffed with food.

References:
https://interesting-animal-facts.com/Deciduous-Forest-Animal-Facts/Eastern-Chipmunk-Facts.shtml
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_chipmunk
https://www.canadiangeographic.ca/article/animal-facts-eastern-chipmunk