Eastern Heather Vole
Encyclopedia
The Eastern Heather Vole, Phenacomys ungava, is a small North America
n vole
. Until recently, this species was considered to belong to the same species as the Western Heather Vole
, Phenacomys intermedius. It is also called the Ungava Vole.
These animals are similar in appearance to the Meadow Vole
. They have short ears and a short thin tail which is paler underneath. Their long soft fur is brownish with light underparts. They are 14 cm long with a 3.5 cm tail and weigh about 35 g.
They are found in coniferous forests and taiga
regions, usually near water, across Canada
and a few areas in the United States
near the Great Lakes
. In summer, they live in underground burrows and, in winter, they tunnel under the snow. They store food for later use year-round.
They feed on plant leaves and berries, especially blueberries
, in summer and bark and buds of willow
s and shrubs in winter. Predators include owl
s, hawk
s and carnivorous
mammals.
The female vole has 2 or 3 litters of 2 to 9 young in a nest made from grasses.
They are active year-round, mainly near dusk or at night.
These animals are rarely encountered or trapped.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n vole
Vole
A vole is a small rodent resembling a mouse but with a stouter body, a shorter hairy tail, a slightly rounder head, smaller ears and eyes, and differently formed molars . There are approximately 155 species of voles. They are sometimes known as meadow mice or field mice in North America...
. Until recently, this species was considered to belong to the same species as the Western Heather Vole
Western Heather Vole
The Western Heather Vole, Phenacomys intermedius, is a small vole found in western North America. Until recently, the Eastern Heather Vole, Phenacomys ungava, was considered to be a subspecies....
, Phenacomys intermedius. It is also called the Ungava Vole.
These animals are similar in appearance to the Meadow Vole
Meadow Vole
The Meadow Vole , sometimes called the Field Mouse or Meadow Mouse, is a North American vole found across Canada, Alaska and the northern United States. Its range extends further south along the Atlantic coast. One subspecies, the Florida Salt Marsh Vole , is found in Florida, and is classified as...
. They have short ears and a short thin tail which is paler underneath. Their long soft fur is brownish with light underparts. They are 14 cm long with a 3.5 cm tail and weigh about 35 g.
They are found in coniferous forests and taiga
Taiga
Taiga , also known as the boreal forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests.Taiga is the world's largest terrestrial biome. In North America it covers most of inland Canada and Alaska as well as parts of the extreme northern continental United States and is known as the Northwoods...
regions, usually near water, across Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and a few areas in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
near the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
. In summer, they live in underground burrows and, in winter, they tunnel under the snow. They store food for later use year-round.
They feed on plant leaves and berries, especially blueberries
Blueberry
Blueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium with dark-blue berries and are perennial...
, in summer and bark and buds of willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
s and shrubs in winter. Predators include owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
s, hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
s and carnivorous
Carnivore
A carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging...
mammals.
The female vole has 2 or 3 litters of 2 to 9 young in a nest made from grasses.
They are active year-round, mainly near dusk or at night.
These animals are rarely encountered or trapped.