Is It True That Flying Squirrels Really Fly?

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Despite the name, flying squirrels don't actually fly. They are often confused with bats, and do sometimes look a little like them, but bats do fly, whereas flying squirrels don't. They're actually gliding squirrels if you want to get technical about things, because that's how they move around — they glide.



In the same way that a parachute jumper would use a large piece of material to help him or her glide through the air and get safely back to earth, flying squirrels use the same process. They don't need an external parachute, however, with thin membranes that stretch from front to back leg, allowing them to extend their limbs and create that sail-like structure.

Despite not actually having wings and being able to fly in the conventional sense of the word, some species of this small rodent can actually travel great distances on the wind. With reported lengths of 100-meter, 300-feet long journeys, it's this that helps them stay ahead of predators. If you were to chase them out of your attic, for example, you would see them look as though they were jumping off your roof, only to see them then glide through the air with ease and land on a tree somewhere out of harm's reach.

These parachute-like membranes also offer the flying squirrel many other technical edges over their competitors, such as rodents and other squirrels. Gliding is a very effective and energy-efficient way of traveling around, especially when you want to conserve energy, and it also means that they have the potential to get to certain places, such as higher branches on trees, easier and quicker than another squirrel that would need to jump and climb their way there. This gives them a chance to get food that other critters can't easily access.

Despite the name, the flying squirrel doesn't fly. It glides. It's still a pretty effective mode of transport though!

For more information, you may want to click on one of these guides that I wrote:
How much does squirrel removal cost? - get the lowdown on prices.
How to get rid of flying squirrels - my main squirrel removal info guide.
Example squirrel trapping photographs - get do-it-yourself ideas.
Squirrel job blog - learn from great examples of squirrel jobs I've done.
Squirrels in the attic - what to do to solve the problem.