The Collie's squirrel is native to the western coast of Mexico, including the states of Sonora, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, Nayarit, Jalisco, and Colima.

[3] The species inhabits areas of thick tropical and subtropical vegetation, especially in Jalisco.

The back (dorsum) is usually a darker gray with a yellowish wash down to the tail's base.

Females were recorded as weighing 440.8 g, while males averaged 335.2 g.[6] The Collie's squirrel lives chiefly in trees and is diurnal, most active just after sunrise and before sunset.

[8] Collie's squirrels have a specialized diet of the fruits and nuts of palms, figs, and possibly oaks.