Species: Microtus canicaudus
Gray-tailed Vole
Species
Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Rodentia
Family
Cricetidae
Genus
Microtus
NatureServe
Classification
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Mammals - Rodents
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Mammalia - Rodentia - Cricetidae - Microtus - (see Musser and Carleton, in Wilson and Reeder 2005).
Ecology and Life History
Migration
true - false - false
Non-migrant
true
Locally Migrant
false
Food Comments
Succulent stems and leaves of a wide variety of green plants, including forbs, sedges, and grasses. Grasses, clover, wild onion, and false dandelion are common food items (Verts and Carraway 1987).
Reproduction Comments
Breeding likely takes place throughout the year. Gestation 21-23 days. Litter size averages about 5. In lab, females as young as 18 days of age capable of mating and subsequently producing viable offspring (Verts and Carraway 1987).
Ecology Comments
May undergo population fluctuations like other members of the genus. Owls, hawks, foxes, skunks, and domestic and feral cats are common predators.
Length
15
Weight
50
Conservation Status
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G4
Global Status Last Reviewed
1996-11-13
Global Status Last Changed
1996-11-13
Other Status
LC - Least concern
Distribution
Conservation Status Map
<img src="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/GetMapGif?US.OR=S4&US.WA=S2" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
Global Range
Lower elevations of Willamette Valley, Oregon, and at least two localities north of the Columbia River in adjacent Clark County, Washington. Specimens reported from east of the Cascade Mountains represent other species (Verts and Carraway 1987).