Flying Squirrel Captured On Video Visiting Fairfax Home To Grab A Midnight Snack

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — A Ring camera captured video of a flying squirrel visiting a Patch reporter's home just to the north of Fairfax City around midnight on Saturday.

The nocturnal animal is seen landing on a window ledge at the front of the home to snack on treats left for the neighborhood feral cat.

The Virginia northern flying squirrel feeds from crevices and the crotches of trees during the winter, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Services. The species has been declared endangered and close to extirpation in Virginia, meaning that it would no longer exist in the wild in the state.

The flying squirrel can be identified by the short, flat tail and white markings on its side, which are actually folds of skin between the front and back legs. Despite its name, the small rodent actually glides by leaping into space and extending its arms so the skin expands like a parachute.

The Ring camera has captured a number of late-night visits by animals over the last year, starting with feral cat Popeye chasing a fox away from his dinner bowl.

Undeterred, the fox came back in broad daylight to sneakily steal some treats and more recently jumped up on the window ledge to get better access.

Even neighborhood birds have started grabbing the treats. In June, the camera captured a crow snacking on treats and dipping one into a bowl of water before flying off.