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

Description A small vole with a long, bicolored tail. Grayish brown above; light grayish below. Feet off-white. L 6 1/8-8 3/4" (155-221 mm); T 2-4 1/2" (50-115 mm); HF 3/4-1 1/8" (20-29 mm); Wt 3/4-3 oz (22-87 g).

Similar Species Townsend's Vole has blackish, indistinctly bicolored tail. Most other voles have shorter tails.

Breeding Breeds May- October (shorter season in North); 1 or 2 litters per female's lifetime (12 months); 2-8 young per litter. Newborn produces ultrasonic distress call.

Habitat Wide variety, with many different dominant plant species: dry, grassy areas far from water, mountain slopes, and alder and willow-sedge areas.

Range Southeastern Alaska through Yukon and sw Northwest Territories (Mackenzie district) to California, Nevada, ne Arizona, and New Mexico; also w South Dakota.

Discussion The Long-tailed Vole feeds primarily on green plants when available, and on many underground fungi. It eats roots and bark when green vegetation is scarce. In winter, these voles spread out across the mountain slopes in search of food; in summer, they usually retreat into grassy areas. This species does not form well-defined runways. Its life span is one year. Barn, great horned, long-eared, and short-eared owls, prairie falcons, weasels, and Martens are known to feed on this species. The Coronation Island Vole, formerly considered a separate species, is now classified as belonging to this species.