# California Vole (*Microtus californicus*) California voles are small, furry animals that live in grasslands and fields. They have tiny ears and long tails, and they love to dig tunnels in the ground. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![California Vole](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/California_Vole_%28Microtus_californicus%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Jerry Kirkhart, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:California_Vole_%28Microtus_californicus%29.jpg) ## Appearance The California Vole is a stocky rodent with dull grayish-brown fur, a short tail, and small ears nearly hidden by its fur. It has small dark eyes. This makes it look more robust and less delicate than typical mice, with a broader head and a less prominent tail. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Cricetidae - **Genus:** Microtus ## Interesting facts - A female California Vole can have up to 10 litters in a single year! - Their front teeth grow constantly, so they must chew often to wear them down! - They communicate using tiny squeaks and scent marks to talk to each other. - Voles create vast underground networks of tunnels and surface runways. ## Special abilities - **Runway Architect:** California Vole can create intricate tunnels and surface runways because of its strong claws that help it navigate safely. - **Rapid Reproducer:** California Vole has a very short gestation period of just 3 weeks that helps them quickly grow their population. - **Tough Chewer:** California Vole can chew tough plant stems and roots because of its continuously growing teeth that helps them access food. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 10-18 cm - **Weight:** 0.02-0.08 kg - **Lifespan:** 1-2 years - **Speed:** 15 km/h - **Litter Size:** 3-7 - **Gestation:** 20-23 days ## Diet & Feeding Tiny plant-eaters munching on grasses and seeds, keeping the ecosystem balanced. - **Primary Foods:** Grasses, Sedges, Clover, Seeds, Roots, Bulbs - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — A key food source for these silent night hunters. - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Prey for this widespread raptor in open fields. - **Eaten by:** Common Garter Snake (*Thamnophis sirtalis*) — Snakes hunt voles in their grassy runways. - **Eaten by:** [Coyote](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote) (*Canis latrans*) — Provides sustenance for omnivorous canids. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a vole, watch quietly from a distance. They are shy and like to hide. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify California Vole? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is California Vole? 10-18 cm ### How much does California Vole weigh? 0.02-0.08 kg ### How long does California Vole live? 1-2 years ### How fast can California Vole move? 15 km/h ### What does California Vole eat? Tiny plant-eaters munching on grasses and seeds, keeping the ecosystem balanced. ### Where is California Vole usually found? Grasslands ### How does California Vole hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Sonoma Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sonoma-botanical-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Lands End](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lands-end) — California, US · Natural Landmark - [Robert Louis Stevenson State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/robert-louis-stevenson-state-park) — California, US · State Park [View all places to see California Vole](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/california-vole) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [California Vole: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-vole)