Meadow Vole
Microtus pennsylvanicus
Summary 3
The meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus), sometimes called the field mouse or meadow mouse, is a North American vole found across Canada, Alaska and the northern United States. Its range extends further south along the Atlantic coast. One subspecies, the Florida salt marsh vole (M. p. dukecampbelli), is found in Florida, and is classified as endangered. It is also found in Chihuahua, Mexico.
Meadow Vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus 4
This Meadow vole can range in lengths of 12 to 195 mm with a tail of 1 to 2 inches long. Their dorsal fur will have a dark blackish brown color or a dark reddish brown color with coarse black hairs, with a duller and more grey color during the winter season. Their ventral surface fur will be a grey or white and may have a light brown ting to it. Meadow voles are active at all times of the day, but tend to be more nocturnal during the summer. Their vocalizations are primarily used for defensive situations. During the spring and summer season Meadow voles will forage on the more succulent portion of the plant. When fall comes around they will forage on seeds and grains. At the winter season they will forage on bark and roots of shrubs and small trees. The will eat fruits if it is found within their range and can be cannibalistic where fathers will preform infanticide on young that are not their own. Meadow voles are prey to owls, birds of prey, foxes, snakes, and weasels.
Source URL http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Microtus_pennsylvanicus/
Original rights holder: Tim Neuburger
Neuburger, T. 1999. "Microtus pennsylvanicus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed October 05, 2015 at http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Microtus_pennsylvanicus/
License by the university of Michigan
Sources and Credits
- (c) Gilles Gonthier, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://www.flickr.com/photos/46788399@N00/757939634
- (c) Joshua Day, all rights reserved, uploaded by Joshua Day
- Adapted by Joshua Day from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microtus_pennsylvanicus
- (c) Joshua Day, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
