Belding'S Ground Squirrel
ExplorarMamíferos
Belding'S Ground Squirrel
urocitellus beldingi
Belding's ground squirrel is a charismatic, social rodent native to the high-elevation meadows and grasslands of the western United States. Highly active during the brief alpine summer, these busy creatures are well known for their upright sentinel postures, standing tall on their hind legs to scan the horizon for predators. Their vocalizations—a series of sharp, high-pitched whistles and trills—serve as a sophisticated alarm system to warn family members of incoming threats. This social structure and cooperative vigilance make them a fascinating species to study. They spend the vast majority of the year in deep underground burrows, where they undergo a prolonged winter hibernation that can last up to eight months.
Hábitat: Typically found in high-altitude mountain meadows, sagebrush flats, and grassy pastures of the western United States.
Aspecto
This medium-sized ground squirrel measures about 20 to 30 centimeters in length and features a relatively short, flat tail. Its coat is a blend of grizzled brownish-gray on the back, shifting to a buff or reddish-yellow on the underside. A key identifying feature is its grayish-white eye-rings and a subtle, reddish-brown stripe running down the middle of its back. They have small, rounded ears that lie close to the head and sturdy, clawed limbs adapted for rapid digging.
ReinoAnimaliaFiloChordataClaseMammaliaOrdenRodentiaFamiliaSciuridaeGéneroUrocitellus
Categoría
MamíferosRareza
Common
Peligro
1/5 · Muy bajo
Snaps
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Datos interesantes
Belding's ground squirrels spend up to 70% to 80% of their lives asleep or hibernating underground.
They are known to engage in 'kissing' as a form of greeting and identification when they meet near their burrows.
They exhibit nepotism in their alarm calls; females are far more likely to sound the alarm if they have close female relatives nearby, risking their own safety to warn kin.
Habilidades especiales
Habilidad
Vigilant Sentinel Posting
Standing tall on their hind feet, these squirrels act as guards, scanning the sky and ground for predators and signaling danger with high-pitched chirps.
Habilidad
Extreme Deep Hibernation
To survive harsh alpine winters, they enter a state of torpor for up to eight months a year, drastically reducing their heart rate and body temperature.
Habilidad
Subterranean Architect
They construct complex, multi-chambered burrow systems with separate areas for nesting, food storage, and waste.
Medidas y detalles
- Longitud
- 20-30 cm
- Peso
- 0.2-0.5 kg
- Esperanza de vida
- 3-6 años
- Top Speed
- 25 km/h
- Tamaño de la puesta
- 3-8
- Incubación
- 23-28 días
Dieta y alimentación
Primarily herbivorous, feeding on a wide variety of green vegetation, seeds, and flowers, but they will readily supplement their diet with insects and carrion.
Diferencias por edad: Juveniles focus more on tender green vegetation and high-energy seeds, whereas adults consume massive quantities of diverse vegetation to build fat reserves for hibernation.
Alimentos principales
- Meadow grasses
- Wildflower seeds
- Insects
- Roots and tubers
- Fungi
Método de búsqueda
- Foraging
Conexiones ecológicas
eaten by
American Badger
Taxidea taxus
Hunted by the American Badger, which often digs out the squirrel's burrows.
eaten by
Prairie Falcon
Falco mexicanus
Preyed upon by the Prairie Falcon from the air during the summer months.
competitor
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel
Callospermophilus lateralis
Competes for grassy forage and nesting space in alpine meadows.
Rasgos
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También conocido como
Todavía no hay alias listados.
Colecciones
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Seguridad
Peligro
1/5 · Muy bajo
Todavía no hay notas especiales de seguridad.
Preguntas frecuentes
¿Cómo identificar a Belding'S Ground Squirrel?
La forma más fácil de identificar a Belding'S Ground Squirrel es usar la aplicación de identificación de naturaleza Snappit.
¿Cuál es el longitud de Belding'S Ground Squirrel?
20-30 cm
¿Cuál es el peso de Belding'S Ground Squirrel?
0.2-0.5 kg
¿Cuál es el esperanza de vida de Belding'S Ground Squirrel?
3-6 años
¿Cuál es el top Speed de Belding'S Ground Squirrel?
25 km/h
¿Qué come Belding'S Ground Squirrel?
Primarily herbivorous, feeding on a wide variety of green vegetation, seeds, and flowers, but they will readily supplement their diet with insects and carrion.
¿Dónde se encuentra normalmente Belding'S Ground Squirrel?
Typically found in high-altitude mountain meadows, sagebrush flats, and grassy pastures of the western United States.
¿Cómo caza Belding'S Ground Squirrel?
Foraging
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