White Squirrel Head Patch and Dorsal Stripe Patterns

Because of observing nesting patterns and interactions of mother and offspring (and because I don't have a life and watch squirrels much too much), I have been able to track the variations in the head patch and dorsal stripes and confirm that specific patterns are inherited. I am hoping, with a good zoom and knowing where they are keeping their babies, to be able to get close-up shots to corroborate my observations. I just thought you might be interested in data from a genetics standpoint. I know all my whites and who their mother is as soon as I see their faces.

Pookie and her son have a similar head patch and dorsal stripe, but his head patch is almost jet black and the “sideburns” are more distinct and pronounced. His dorsal stripe is wider and darker, with less distinct demarcation lines around the shoulders. But to the trained eye, it is clear that they are related.

Incidentally, there are no head patches in normal gray variants. There appears to be seasonal variation in head patches of whites, ranging from “gray squirrel” coloring to pure black on the same squirrel, particularly Snowflake, having watched over 5 years.