The prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster ) is a small vole found in central North America. The vole has long, coarse grayish-brown fur on the upper portion of the body and yellowish fur on the lower portion of the body. It has short ears and a short tail, which is somewhat darker on top.
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CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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FolivoreIn zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less ...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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BurrowingA burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Prairie vole is a small vole that lives in Central North America. It is widely found across the midwest, in grasslands and upland fields. They build underground runways alongside other voles. In North America, these animals are popular as field mice or meadow mice. They are characterized by short ears and a short tail and their yellowish fur on their underside. The Prairie vole is very similar in appearance to the meadow vole, but the latter do not have a grizzled appearance, and seldom have a yellowish belly.
Prairie voles inhabit northeastern New Mexico up to northern Alabama, the west part of West Virginia (the United States), and the northwest to central Alberta (Canada). They are common on prairies, ungrazed pastures, weedy areas, fallow fields, road right-of-ways, and are also sometimes in alfalfa or soybean fields. If Meadow voles live in the same area, Prairie voles are found where there is shorter, drier, and more variety of vegetation.
The Prairie vole is a crepuscular species, though its activity periods change with the seasons. Activity during the day increases in winter and decreases during the summer. Prairie voles have three types of social arrangements: mated pairs, single females, and small communal groups, and the distribution of the social groupings varies seasonally, with more male-female pairs during warmer months and more communal behavior during the colder months. Voles have a system of runways above the ground as well as underground tunnels, spending most of their time underground. Their burrows help them to stay safe and secure from predators. These animals are good diggers and good swimmers. When threatened, they stamp their hind feet and will make noises to threaten the other vole.
Prairie voles are herbivorous and their food includes the soft basal parts of grasses, roots and tubers, as well as seeds, which they may store underground. Insects are eaten when available. In winter, these voles will sometimes eat the bark of woody vegetation.
The mating of Prairie voles varies with the season, food availability, and the communal social structure. Some of the male-female pairs practice monogamy, whereas other males and females will mate with multiple partners (a polygynous mating system). This species breeds year-round except when winters and summers are severe. Most reproductive activity takes place between May and October, with the lowest levels during December and January. The gestation period is 21 days, and 3 or 4 hairless babies are born. Altricial at birth, they have their eyes and ears closed. Developing rapidly, at 5 days of old they can crawl. They eat solid foods by12 days. Weaning is at 2 to 3 weeks old and the first molt is at around 24 days old. Females are mature from 30 to 40 days, males at 35 to 45. The adult size is gained by the time they are 2 months old.
This species is faced with no major threats across its entire range. Loss of native prairies, however, is causing Prairie vole populations to decline in some upper midwest areas.
According to IUCN, Prairie vole is common and widespread throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) and its numbers today remain stable.
Due to their choice of diet, Prairie voles have an important part to play in nutrient cycling within prairie ecosystems and also as prey for many predator species (raptors, owls, snakes, weasels, foxes).
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...