How Good Is Squirrel Vision?
How good is squirrel vision? Squirrels’ eyesight is better in the middle of the field of vision, with fuzzier images at the edges. They can see objects clearly in low-light conditions, and their hearing range is narrower than human ears. Nevertheless, squirrels have a wider visual field than humans. In addition, squirrels have better hearing than humans, which means they can hear and understand sounds better than us.
Eyesight
Squirrels have good eyesight. They are able to distinguish red from green and the distance between red and green objects is about 30 feet. Humans also suffer from color-blindness. The condition functions similarly, and people with color-blindness confuse the same color spots as squirrels. The difference in these creatures’ abilities to distinguish colors lies in the size of their retinas. A squirrel’s visual range is dependent on the type of cones in their eyes.
Hearing
A recent study measured the sound sensitivity of squirrels using a new technique called minimum audible angle (MAA). The results showed that ground and Fox furry rodents were equally adept at detecting a sound’s movement, but only the latter was able to tell when the sound moved more than 30 degrees. Ground squirrels’ MAA was just five degrees, while Foxes’ MAA was 14 degrees.
Body language
You can see some of the clues to how good your squirrel’s vision is by observing their eyes. In addition to their eye movements, squirrels also have excellent peripheral vision. This allows them to detect danger even while they are sleeping. It is believed that the large portion of their brain is dedicated to visual functions. If you notice a squirrel without blinking, it could be a signal that it is in danger.
Hibernation
A large part of the world’s squirrel population goes through hibernation. While people may assume that all squirrels are active all the time, this is actually only the case in small populations. The majority of squirrels stay inside their dens, where they hibernate, and remain out of sight for most of the year. This is true for gray squirrels, the most common species. The question is, how good is a squirrel’s vision during hibernation?
Retina
Recently, researchers have discovered that a unique type of neuron in the retina of the thirteen-lined ground squirrel encodes color vision. These neurons are termed cone photoreceptor modulators and capture blue light. The retina contains approximately 30 different types of interneurons, including S-cone amacrine cells. They characterized the retina by probing individual amacrine cells and measuring the response to alternating blue and green light.
Color vision
Researchers have discovered that squirrels’ color vision is similar to humans’. They can distinguish red and green from other colours. To find out whether squirrels have this special ability, they exposed them to a computer program that presented colorful clumps of dots on a gray screen. The monkeys responded to the colors just like human beings do, which was quite astounding. But a better question is how good is squirrel color vision?
Hearing range
How good is squirrel hearing? The answer is pretty amazing, considering the distances squirrels can hear. During a study, scientists measured how well they could detect sounds and measured the “minimum audible angle” (MAA). They found that ground squirrels were unable to hear the sound when it moved more than 30 degrees. Fortunately, Fox squirrels were twice as good as ground squirrels, with a MAA of fourteen degrees.
How good is squirrel vision?
Squirrels have very good vision and are able to see ultraviolet light.
How does this compare to human vision?
Humans cannot see ultraviolet light but we can see a wider range of colors than squirrels.
What do squirrels use their vision for?
Squirrels use their vision for many things including finding food avoiding predators and finding mates.
What is the difference between diurnal and nocturnal squirrels?
Diurnal squirrels are active during the day and have better vision than nocturnal squirrels who are active at night.
Does vision vary among different squirrel species?
Yes vision varies among different squirrel species.
For example ground squirrels have better vision than tree squirrels.
What is the difference between color vision and black and white vision?
Color vision is the ability to see colors while black and white vision is the ability to see shades of gray.
How do squirrels see in the dark?
Squirrels have good night vision and can see in the dark by using their whiskers to sense objects around them.
Do all squirrels have good vision?
No not all squirrels have good vision.
Some blind squirrels have been found that are unable to see at all.
What causes poor vision in squirrels?
Poor vision in squirrels can be caused by a number of things including cataracts glaucoma and macular degeneration.
Can poor vision be cured in squirrels?
In some cases yes.
If the cause of the poor vision is cataracts they can be surgically removed.
How do you know if a squirrel has good vision?
One way to tell if a squirrel has good vision is by its eyes.
Healthy eyes should be clear and free of any discharge.
What do you do if you suspect a squirrel has poor vision?
If you suspect a squirrel has poor vision you should take it to a veterinarian or wildlife rehabilitator for an examination.
Is there anything you can do to prevent poor vision in squirrels?
Yes.
You can help prevent poor vision in squirrels by taking them to the vet for regular check-ups and keeping their environment clean and free of debris.
What are some common problems that can affect squirrel vision?
Some common problems that can affect squirrel vision include cataracts glaucoma and macular degeneration.
What is the best way to ensure that squirrels have good vision?
The best way to ensure that squirrels have good vision is to take them to the vet for regular check-ups and to keep their environment clean and free of debris.

Jessica Watson is a PHD holder from the University of Washington. She studied behavior and interaction between squirrels and has presented her research in several wildlife conferences including TWS Annual Conference in Winnipeg.