Townsend’s Chipmunk

This Townsend’s Chipmunk image has been languishing in my blog queue since 20 April 2020. This squirrel is named after the early 19th century ornithologist, John Townsend. It inhabits Pacific Northwest forests, and is particularly attracted to brushy areas—like our backyard. It feasts on a variety of seeds and berries, spilled bird-feed, and insects. They are said to be shier than other chipmunks, but can be quite noisy, Their loud call is reminiscent of a pygmy-owl's series of repeated, high-pitched chirps, given towards predators and other chipmunks.