# Townsend's Chipmunk (*Neotamias townsendii*) Townsend's Chipmunks are small, striped animals that love to scurry around in the forests. They are very playful and can often be seen collecting nuts and seeds to store for winter. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Townsend's Chipmunk](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Neotamias_townsendii.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ludovic Hirlimann from 's-Gravenhage, The Netherlands, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Neotamias_townsendii.jpg) ## Appearance The Townsend's Chipmunk is one of the largest chipmunks, featuring a grizzled brown coat with less distinct stripes compared to other species. It often has a reddish-brown wash along its sides and a greyish head and rump, helping it blend into dense forest undergrowth. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Sciuridae - **Genus:** Tamias ## Interesting facts - Even in winter, they don't truly sleep for months; they wake up to munch on their stored food! - Their long tail helps them balance perfectly when climbing high in trees! - They help spread tree seeds by burying them, sometimes forgetting where they put them! - They whistle loudly to warn other chipmunks when a hawk or coyote is nearby! ## Special abilities - **Super Stash Sacks:** Townsend's Chipmunk has expandable cheek pouches that help them carry huge amounts of food back to their burrow in one trip! - **Forest Fort Builder:** Townsend's Chipmunk can dig complex underground burrows that shelter them from predators and extreme weather. - **Master Climber:** Townsend's Chipmunk can quickly scramble up trees and shrubs because of their strong claws and agile bodies, escaping danger. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 23-26 cm - **Weight:** 0.05-0.1 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-5 years - **Speed:** 24 km/h - **Litter Size:** 3-7 - **Gestation:** 30-32 days ## Diet & Feeding They munch on seeds, nuts, fruits, and tiny insects, often storing food for later snacks! - **Primary Foods:** Conifer seeds, Berries, Fungi, Acorns, Insects - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Often preyed upon by these aerial hunters. - **Eaten by:** [Coyote](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote) (*Canis latrans*) — Can be a significant ground predator in their habitat. - **Eats:** Douglas-fir (*Pseudotsuga menziesii*) — Relies heavily on seeds from this common conifer. - **Eaten by:** [Long-tailed Weasel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/long-tailed-weasel) (*Mustela frenata*) — Small and quick predators that hunt chipmunks. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Striped](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/striped): Marked with parallel bands or lines of color. - [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. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch from a distance and don't try to touch wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Townsend's Chipmunk? 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 Townsend's Chipmunk? 23-26 cm ### How much does Townsend's Chipmunk weigh? 0.05-0.1 kg ### How long does Townsend's Chipmunk live? 2-5 years ### How fast can Townsend's Chipmunk move? 24 km/h ### What does Townsend's Chipmunk eat? They munch on seeds, nuts, fruits, and tiny insects, often storing food for later snacks! ### Where is Townsend's Chipmunk usually found? Forests ### How does Townsend's Chipmunk hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Ross Lake National Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ross-lake-national-recreation-area) — Washington, US · National Park - [International Rose Test Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/international-rose-test-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [Mount Pisgah Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mount-pisgah-arboretum) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [Seaquest State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/seaquest-state-park) — Washington, US · State Park - [Sx̱ótsaqel / Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sx-tsaqel-chilliwack-lake-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Cypress Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cypress-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Townsend's Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/townsends-chipmunk) ## 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: [Townsend's Chipmunk: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/townsends-chipmunk)