Family: Muridae, Mice and Rats view all from this family

Description Dark brown sprinkled with black above; grayish or grayish brown below. Long tail blackish, indistinctly bicolored. Feet dusky. Large ears project well above the harsh fur. 6 plantar tubercles (small pads on soles of feet). L 6 5/8–9 3/8" (169–238 mm); T 1 7/8 –3 3/8" (48–85 mm); HF 3/4–1’ (20–26 mm); Wt 1 1/2–3 5/8 oz (42–103 g).

Similar Species California, Long-tailed, and Gray-tailed voles have more distinctly bicolored tails and lighter feet. Montane and Creeping voles are smaller, with proportionally shorter tails; Creeping Vole has smaller eyes. Water Vole has 5 rather than 6 plantar tubercles.

Breeding Breeds from early spring through late summer or early fall; several litters of 1–9 young each; gestation 21–24 days.

Habitat Marshes and moist, grassy areas, often in rank vegetation.

Range Southeastern British Columbia and Vancouver Island south to nw California.

Discussion Townsend’s Vole may be active day or night. Its varied diet includes velvet grass and other grasses, horsetail, alfalfa, clover, rushes, sedges, purple-eyed grass, and buttercups. Green food is still available in winter, but Townsend’s Vole often stores and eats bulbs at that time. A good swimmer, this vole often constructs the entrances to its burrow system underwater. Summer and winter nests are constructed of grass. In summer, the nest is placed inside a hummock above water level; in winter, it is placed on dry ground away from water, which might freeze and prevent access. These animals use runways most of the year except when vegetation in summer is thick enough to completely conceal their bodies; then they move about at will under the cover of the vegetation. Owls and hawks are important predators, as well as house cats, weasels, Coyotes, foxes, skunks, snakes, and the great blue heron. In winter, this vole occasionally causes damage in nurseries, killing saplings by eating their bark.