The term for a male squirrel is a boar. This designation is not unique to squirrels, as the same terminology is used for the adult male of several other small mammals. The terminology for squirrels is similar to that used for animals like swine, which also use the terms boar and sow.
The Answer: Male, Female, and Young Squirrel Names
The adult male squirrel is formally known as a boar, a term applied across different species of tree and ground squirrels. This nomenclature provides distinct names for the different sexes and age groups of the animal. The adult female squirrel is called a sow, directly paralleling the term for the male.
This naming convention is also used for adult pigs, guinea pigs, and hedgehogs. Young squirrels are referred to as kits or kittens, which is a common designation for the offspring of many small mammals, including rabbits and ferrets.
The Male Squirrel’s Role and Behavior
Male squirrels, or boars, are generally solitary animals, spending most of their time alone outside of the breeding season. Their social structure is based on dominance hierarchies, where older and larger males typically hold a higher social rank. This dominance is particularly important when competing for access to a receptive female.
The most recognizable male behavior is the “mating chase,” which occurs when a female enters estrus and releases pheromones that attract males from the surrounding area. This pursuit involves multiple boars chasing the sow through the trees and across the ground, sometimes lasting for several hours. The chase is a test of endurance and dominance, with the most dominant male usually maintaining the lead position.
The largest and most dominant boar is typically the one that ultimately wins the right to mate with the female. After copulation, the male often leaves a waxy copulatory plug in the female’s reproductive tract, which can act as a temporary barrier to other males’ sperm. However, the female can sometimes remove this plug, and she may mate with multiple partners during her brief period of receptivity.
While squirrels are not strictly territorial, males will defend a temporary area or a female during the breeding season. The male’s involvement ends immediately after mating, as boars play no role in raising the young. The female is solely responsible for building the nest, or drey, and caring for the kits until they are weaned and able to fend for themselves.