The Southern Flying Squirrel resembles other squirrels except that it has a hairy fold of skin connecting the front and hind legs. The fur on its backside is dense, silky and brownish in color. The underside is white or cream in color. Its eyes are large and the tail is plume-shaped. Head and body length is 20-25 cm with a tail length of 8-12 cm.

It is nocturnal, hiding all day in hollows or nests made in trees. Flying squirrels feed on fruit, leaves, insects, eggs and other small animals. It moves from tree to tree by gliding up to 30 feet. It is solitary although there may be many individuals occupying a particular area.

It is less active during winter months but it does not formally hibernate. Mating occurs in February-March with the female delivering 2-6 young after a gestation period of 40 days.

The Southern Flying Squirrel occurs in temperate and subtemperate forests in Texas, Kansas, and Minnesota (USA) to Nova Scotia (Canada) and E USA; montane populations scattered from NW Mexico to Honduras.