Chipmunks are speedy and lively critters that belong to squirrel family. The most amazing fact about these critters is that they hibernate during the winter season and still do not store any fat. In fact they are known to gnaw at the resource item that they gather for whole of the summers.

These beautiful and attractive creatures have large, pudgy cheeks, glossy eyes, bushy tails and distinctive stripes that make them favorites amongst animators. Because of such favoritism, these creatures have landed in various staring roles in Hollywood.

There are more than 25 different species of Chipmunks but only one named Asia’s Tamias sibiricus is found in whole of North America. They could be easily seen scampering through the undergrowth of different environments such as shrubby deserts and alpine forests. Chipmunks choose various ways of living. Though some of them like to dig burrows with complete chambers and tunnels, others like to live on nests that they make using log and bushes.

It depends on species to species, but generally Chipmunks are gray to reddish brown colored. They have attractive stripes across their tail and back and also on the sides of face. These stripes are mostly of contrasting light and dark color.

Chipmunks generally gather food and hide them under bushes, logs and rocks. The place they choose is such that they can hide food from their predators like foxes, hawks, weasels, coyotes and snakes. They generally have an herbivores diet and largely feed on nuts, fruits, grains, berries and seeds. Their choice is such that can be stuffed into their munificent cheek pouches. They carry the food in cheek pouches till their burrows where they hide it.

As and when they sense threat they create a repeating shrill sound that can be compared with a bird like chirp and alert their mates. They also take out such sounds when they want to mate. They also use certain low pitched sounds and body gestures for communicating effectively. Chipmunks prefer deciduous woodlands, bushy areas, forests edges, concrete or stone walls, cemeteries and area around houses as their favorite spot of living. As of today, the chipmunks are not an endangered species.