It Appears to Be a Great Year for Eastern Chipmunk in Connecticut

I know they may be a pest in gardens, but I love chipmunks. Some years I haven't seen any chippys at all, but not this one.  2024 appears to be a great year to be a chipmunk living in Connecticut.

The Eastern Chipmunk is the only chipmunk found in Connecticut. They're reddish brown, and have prominent black and white stripes down the length of their back. Oh those cheeks, I find that feature most adorable. Chipmunk can grow to 8-10 inches long, including their tail, and can weigh up to just over a quarter pound. According to ct.gov, chipmunk are omnivores, and their diet consists primarily of bugs, worms, bird eggs, frogs, snails, seeds, nuts, fruits, and mushrooms. July is mating season for chipmunks, which is good news/bad news for them. The good news is the mating, the bad news is that chipmunks are food for the hawks, owls, snakes, foxes, bobcats, coyotes, raccoons, and house cats of Connecticut. Do you remember the horror of finding a chipmunk wiggling away in your cat's mouth? That's an image that you can't shake.

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Connecticut saw an explosion of the chipmunk population in 2016 according to cbsnews.com. At the time a biologist at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection pointed towards a mild Winter, an abundance of Maple seeds and acorns, and comfortable temperatures. Winter 23/24 was relatively mild, the temperatures between April and now have been moderate, and I do remember seeing a whole lot of acorns this Spring. Has the perfect storm of chipmunk weather and food happened in 2024?

The birdfeeders around my condo seem to be the best place to see Chip n Dale scurrying about.