# how come squirrels got poofy tails? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 3, 2004, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-squirrels-got-poofy-tails/267295 "2004-10-03T06:18:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-squirrels-got-poofy-tails/267295/21 "2004-10-04T04:00:29Z")
> [@Darwin's Finch](#): > > Note that it is primarily the tree squirrels that have the big, bushy tails. I would suspect that tail bushiness has little to do with balance, as the tail will weigh the same whether it’s big and bushy or the fur lay flat. More likely, the bushiness helps increase drag when leaping about in the trees (or, on occassion, falling from them). In this way, it can also help act as a rudder during such leaps. It also helps in signalling, keeping warm, predator distractions, and all of that. Readily demonstrated in this [research project conducted at Harvard.](http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~yaz/en/squirrel_fishing.html) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-squirrels-got-poofy-tails/267295/22 "2004-10-04T11:35:25Z")
> [@](#): > > Um, wouldn’t “a lot f apparent bulk with very little actual substance” be a pretty good standard description of materials that insulate temperature? Not if a.) the bulk is vanishingly small; ans 9b0 the bulk does nothing to trap air inside, but allows it to circulate freely. There’s a reason they stuff jackets with goose down and not squirrel tails. ---
**Author:** ![Iceland\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@Iceland\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iceland_Blue)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-squirrels-got-poofy-tails/267295/23 "2004-10-04T11:41:20Z")
On the main board this thread reads as ‘How come squirrels got poofy’? I have a vision of this load of camp squirrels going around flicking their paws about 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![InvidiousCourgette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@InvidiousCourgette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InvidiousCourgette)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-squirrels-got-poofy-tails/267295/24 "2004-10-04T11:51:05Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > There’s a reason they stuff jackets with goose down and not squirrel tails. Unless it is a puffa jacket, in which case poofy tails presumably are the ideal filling. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-squirrels-got-poofy-tails/267295/25 "2004-10-04T12:23:52Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > I once observed a squirrel running across a telephone wire to a pole on which a medium-sized hawk was perched. The fearless little bugger came face to face with the hawk, and the latter actually recoiled. The squirrel went on his way unscathed. If squirrels are actually pretty damned hard, it’s probably best not to tell them they’ve got “poofy tails”. At least not to their faces. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-squirrels-got-poofy-tails/267295/26 "2004-10-04T12:48:19Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > If squirrels are actually pretty damned hard, it’s probably best not to tell them they’ve got “poofy tails”. At least not to their faces. “Gimme a peanut, if you’re gonna say that!” ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-squirrels-got-poofy-tails/267295/27 "2004-10-04T13:12:54Z")
Air isn’t going to “circulate freely” in a squirrel tail – all those hairs in different directions may not block the wind but they’ll slow it down. When you get goose bumps on your arm, your arm-hairs (presuming you don’t shave them) go all “poofy” as well. That keeps you warmer by trapping pockets of stagnant air near your skin. Also, the ability of a squirrel to flick his tail rapidly combines with the aerodynamics of the tail to make it something like a tightrope walker’s parasol: it provides just a wee bit of drag with which force can be applied when needed. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-squirrels-got-poofy-tails/267295/28 "2004-10-04T13:58:34Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > But I thought you Brits pronounce it “poof-ta”. > Or did I misunderstand Monty Python? Yep…those characters are Aussies. You do have the meaning nailed, though 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-squirrels-got-poofy-tails/267295/29 "2004-10-04T16:49:58Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Was that an intended double-entendre or is it just me? As far as I know, you’re not an intentional double-entendre, but the nuts line certainly was! 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-squirrels-got-poofy-tails/267295.md?page=1)