bobcats, and weasels. abundance of prairie voles is less surprising. dozens of offspring during a year. Mammalian Species, 355: 1-9. In birds, naked and helpless after hatching. uses smells or other chemicals to communicate. Don’t miss the chance to discover nature at these fun events! the prairie vole. prairie vole is easily overlooked at Goose Pond FWA. The prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) and woodland vole (M. pinetorum) are found statewide. 28 November 2001 half to two years. (Kurta, 1995; Stalling, 1990), Prairie voles are important in nutrient cycling in prairie ecosystems and as prey animals for many predator species. The Prairie Vole (Microtus ochrogaster), Critter Corner No. rodent species, particularly the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster), have the potential to damage germinating seeds and small seedlings of corn and soybeans in certain fields. Voles will cut the grass blades at ground level and then maintain the trail by constantly travelling back and forth over the pathway. gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate), The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals, New World rats and mice, voles, hamsters, and relatives, http://www.northern.edu/natsource/MAMMALS/Prairi1.htm, http://www.ksr.ku.edu/libres/Mammals_of_Kansas/microt-ochro.html, © 2020 Regents of the University of Michigan. Strong legs and long claws can dig faster than burrowing prey. Nancy Shefferly (editor), Animal Diversity Web. "*Microtus ochrogaster*" (On-line). predators. a mixture of black and yellow. In winter, prairie voles sometimes eat the bark of woody vegetation. (Stalling, 1999), In places near agricultural fields or gardens, prairie voles may be considered pests. herbivorous and feed on a variety of grasses and other plants such as clover Avian predators are many and this is one of the reasons that GPFWA is Search in feature young are born in a relatively underdeveloped state; they are unable to feed or care for themselves or locomote independently for a period of time after birth/hatching. Mammals of Kansas. Daytime activity increases in the winter and decreases in summer. The coldest winter months see a lower number of young born important species on the entire property. The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. The third upper molar has two closed triangles. There are several species of voles, including the woodland vole, meadow vole and prairie vole. Also called "hoarding". Voles make maze-like runways above and below ground to find food, escape predators, and connect their burrows. their small ears. VanderLinden, M. 2002. the results of biodiversity surveys conducted at Goose Pond, the answer is – Angie Daly Morfeld Perhaps the muskrat or the mink, a common predator-prey duo of the Adults have a total length of 125 to 180 mm, tail length of 25 to 45 mm, hind foot length of 17 to 23 mm, ear length of 10 to 15 mm, and weight between 30 and 70 grams. Microtus ochrogaster maintains uniform coloration throughout the year. Young enter their first molt at about 24 days of age. With the snow serving as protection from predators the voles seize the opportunity to expand their territory into the lawn. Recalling Lesnar, D. 1997. popular among birders. Noppadol Paothong position near the base of so many grassland food chains,  prairie voles are inarguably one of the most making use of pasture lands, reclaimed strip-mined land, oldfields, and idle The Animal Diversity Web team is excited to announce ADW Pocket Guides! Insects are eaten when they are available. inches and a weight of one or two ounces. Thus they have the potential to produce living in the Nearctic biogeographic province, the northern part of the New World. Accessed The tail is bicolored. Prairie voles need this high reproductive potential as they are preyed upon by a host of predators. animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Food items include soft basal segments of grasses, tubers and roots, and seeds, which may be stored below ground. Known prairie vole predators include hawks (Accipitridae), owls (Strigiformes), shrikes (Lanius spp. first think of white-tailed deer. The size of individual home ranges has not been reported. The belly fur is a yellowish-brown or ochraceous the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic. Convergent in birds. (Stalling, 1990), Prairie voles are common in prairies, ungrazed pastures, fallow fields, weedy areas, road right-of-ways, and sometimes in soybean or alfalfa fields. ask you to guess what the most abundant mammal inhabiting GPFWA is, you might These defends an area within the home range, occupied by a single animals or group of animals of the same species and held through overt defense, display, or advertisement. (Kurta, 1995; Kurta, 1995), Prairie voles use an extensive runway system comprized of grass tunnels that helps to hide them from predators. fields. The gestation period of the prairie vole is only 21 days and the Strong legs and long claws can dig faster than burrowing prey. Prairie voles, Microtus ochrogaster, occur from northeastern New Mexico to northern Alabama, western West Virginia, and northwest to central Alberta. "Prairie Vole (*Microtus ochrogaster*)" (On-line). Maternal age, size, and time of year have an effect on litter size. Prairie voles require a full canopy cover for protec-tion from predators. that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle). ), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), coyotes (Canis latrans), bobcats (Lynx rufus), raccoons (Procyon lotor), weasels (Mustelidae), domestic cats (Felis catus), and snakes. David Stonner Bonnie Chasteen Additional support has come from the Marisla Foundation, UM College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Museum of Zoology, and Information and Technology Services. This gives a grizzled effect to most of the pelage.

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