Friday’s Wildlife Writing Prompt

Subject: Chipmunks!

So, I have this little chipmunk, who scampers over to eat the seed under my feeders, fills his little cheeks, then scampers back again.

Shouldn’t he be a character in a picture book? Or a comic book? Or a story? Want to give it a try?

Before writing, I like to do a little research. Let’s learn a little bit about chipmunks:

  • They’re the size of a teacup
  • They live 2 to 3 years in the wild
  • They’re really a tiny squirrel!
  • Their scientific name is Tamias . .. . heeeeey! My nickname name is Tami! Cool!
  • They are sooooo cute, artists love to draw them and make movies about them, they’ve starred in several shows! Ever heard of Alvin and the Chipmunks?
  • Chipmunks aren’t picky eaters! They eat seeds, fruit, nuts, berries and will stuff their find in their cheek pouches, then scamper back to their burrow or nest to save it. They’ll need this cache of food to get them through the winter.
  • They also eat plants, insects, worms, and bird eggs!
  • They make a birdlike chirp, and repeat it, when they sense danger.
  • Predators to a chipmunk are foxes, weasels, coyotes and even snakes.
  • A pair can have up to 8 young in the spring. Sometimes they raise two families between Spring and Fall.
  • You don’t see much of them in the winter here in Maine. They hibernate but don’t sleep the whole time. They wake up every few days, feed on their stored food, and go to the bathroom. If it’s a warmer day, you might see them under your feeder, filling their cheeks.

So now that you have the facts, here’s some photo inspiration for your story or illustration.

What did you name your chipmunk? Where does he live? What’d he say? I’d love to see what you’ve written or drawn!

Can’t get enough of these little guys? National Geographic has a cool video! Behavioral ecologist Charlene Couchoux is trying to learn more about these cute little guys, by capturing their sounds with supersonic microphones.

Happy writing, everyone!

This entry was posted in Wildlife Geek Notes, Wildlife Sightings, writing notes and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.