Looking to attract wildlife to your yard? It’s easy if you know what trees and plants animals like. Our expert arborists at Mr. Tree are very familiar with which animals are attracted to local trees and are happy to share their knowledge. Here are five animals that live in trees in the Pacific Northwest.
1. Eastern Gray Squirrel, Eastern Fox Squirrel, and Western Gray Squirrel
We have squirrels galore in the Pacific Northwest. The eastern gray and eastern fox squirrels are the more commonly found types of squirrels, especially in towns and cities. They have learned how to take advantage of food left behind by humans, unlike the native species, the western gray squirrel.
Western grays live in more old-growth areas, so you may not see them as often. If you have a western gray squirrel in your neighborhood, consider yourself lucky. They have more pronounced black and white-colored fur than an eastern gray or an eastern fox squirrel. Western gray squirrels typically live in coniferous forests, so their diet is usually made up of pinecone seeds. They’ve been known to live in hardwood forests as well, and they’ll typically eat nuts and acorns. Wherever they live, western gray squirrels also tend to eat berries, fungus, bark, sap, and insects. If you want to attract squirrels to your yard, consider planting any fruit or nut trees and conifers.
2. Northern Spotted Owl
There are many kinds of owls and other predatory birds that live in trees as well. The northern spotted owl’s camouflage means that you may not see it in its nest—you’ll have a better chance of seeing it flying above the forest. The spotted owl is a medium-sized owl and lives in old-growth areas, especially in dense coniferous forests.
If you want to attract owls to your neighborhood, the best way is to attract their prey. Owls will hunt for any small rodents such as squirrels, wood rats, tree voles, and mice, and these animals’ diets include nuts, seeds, acorns, and tree bark. Planting coniferous trees will help increase places northern spotted owls can hunt around and rest in and possibly nest in when the tree grows large enough.
Another owl species that is taking over the northern spotted owl’s territory is the barred owl, which is more aggressive and is a threat to the northern spotted owl.
3. Humboldt’s Flying Squirrel
This squirrel is smaller than the ones you may see every day in your neighborhood. It isn’t capable of real flight like a bird is but will glide from one tall tree to another without touching the ground. This is possible using membranes that extend from the wrists of their forelegs to the ankles of their hind legs. They use their big, fluffy tail as a brake, and they can steer using minute movements of the legs.
Humboldt’s flying squirrels live in much of the United States and Canada, from Alaska to California and across to the East Coast as well. They prefer mixed forests, with both conifers and deciduous trees, including hemlocks and beech maples. They thrive in riparian woods as well, which is a forested or wooded area adjacent to a body of water—which Oregon provides in abundance.
You may not see these squirrels out and about in the daytime. They can more usually be spotted at night, and enjoy habitats with tree cavities, leaf nests, underground burrows, and the abandoned nests of birds and other squirrels. In short, a carefully landscaped yard is less likely to attract these squirrels.
4. Western Scrub Jay
This is an easy bird to identify, with bright blue plumage on its head, wings, and tail. Its back is usually brown, its underside is gray or tan, and it has a white throat. Sometimes, this jay will be misidentified as a Stellar jay or a blue jay, but western scrub jays don’t have a crest like the others do. Western scrub jay nests are basket-shaped and located low to the ground, usually concealed among foliage or brush or in a low-hung branch of an oak or a pinyon pine tree.
You can attract this bird to your yard by planting trees that also attract squirrels: scrub jays eat a very similar diet and are also known to create a cache of nuts, the same way squirrels do. Because of this, they are known for helping to scatter and plant trees. Scrub jays also have a reputation for being sneaky when it comes to these caches. If one comes across a cache another bird has made, they will often steal it and hide the nuts somewhere else.
You can expect to see these birds year-round since they do not migrate, and they can be quite long-lived for birds—they have been known to live up to 15 years in the wild.
5. Raccoon
At first glance, you may not think that raccoons live in trees, but these feisty adapters can live just about anywhere. They are primarily nocturnal, but urban raccoons have fewer predators, so you may see raccoons out during the day in towns or cities. They have learned to take advantage of humans and the food they leave unattended, especially in compost or garbage bins.
Both urban and rural raccoons climb trees to raid birds’ nests for eggs. You may also notice raccoons in your garden since they are omnivorous and enjoy berries, fruits, and vegetables as much as we do. They’ll also get into your dog or cat’s food if left out, so be aware of that if you have an outdoor pet food station.
Raccoons may spend time in the tops of trees if they’re trying to escape a situation, if they’re resting, or if they’re looking for their next meal (such as small rodents), but they’re more likely to nest in trees with hollow cavities. They may also create a burrow underneath a tree too. Raccoons are excellent climbers and are some of the very few mammals that can descend vertical trees headfirst. They can leave distinctive scratch marks on the bark of your trees, so you will probably be able to tell if one of your trees has become a home to one of them.