Long-tailed Vole
Encyclopedia
The Long-tailed Vole is a small vole
found in western North America
. The Coronation Island Vole, once considered to be a separate species, is now believed to be a subspecies.
They have short ears and a long tail. Their fur is grey brown with light grey underparts. They are 18 cm long with an 8 cm tail and weigh about 50 g.
These animals are found in alpine meadow
s and shrubby areas, often near streams, from Alaska
to California
. They feed on green plants in summer and roots and bark in winter, when they burrow under the snow. Predators include owl
s and mustelids.
The female vole has 1 to 3 litters of 4 to 8 young.
They are active year-round, usually during the day.
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...
found in western North America
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...
. The Coronation Island Vole, once considered to be a separate species, is now believed to be a subspecies.
They have short ears and a long tail. Their fur is grey brown with light grey underparts. They are 18 cm long with an 8 cm tail and weigh about 50 g.
These animals are found in alpine meadow
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
s and shrubby areas, often near streams, from Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. They feed on green plants in summer and roots and bark in winter, when they burrow under the snow. 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 and mustelids.
The female vole has 1 to 3 litters of 4 to 8 young.
They are active year-round, usually during the day.