The red-tailed chipmunk (''Neotamias ruficaudus'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Alberta and British Columbia in Canada and Montana, Idaho and Washington in the United States.

Description

The red-tailed chipmunk is a large species with a total length of about including a bushy tail of . The mass varies from about in the spring to in the fall. Females are marginally larger than males. The head is mottled grayish-brown with dark stripes above, through and below the eye. The body is basically orange-brown with five blackish stripes separated by four pale gray, tawny or cream-colored ones. The shoulders, sides, rump and flanks are tawny or buff. The underparts are creamy-white suffused with pinkish-buff. The upper side of the tail is black suffused with pinkish-buff and the underside is tawny tipped with pinkish-buff. In winter the animal's color is greyer and less tawny. In some areas, where range overlap with the yellow-pine chipmunk occurs, it may be difficult or impossible to distinguish the two species in the field; laboratory examination of skeletal structures may be required.

Distribution and habitat

The red-tailed chipmunk is native to southeastern British Columbia, southwestern Alberta, northeastern Washington, northern Idaho and western Montana. It is found at altitudes between in coniferous forests, other woodland, forest edges, glades and bushy areas at the edge of upland meadows. It primarily lives on the ground but sometimes climb trees.

Biology

The red-tailed chipmunk feeds mainly on seeds and berries and sometimes carries these in its cheek pouches. Frequently eaten foods include the seeds of

fir Firs (''Abies'') are a genus of 48–56 species of evergreen coniferous trees in the family (biology), family Pinaceae. They are found on mountains throughout much of North America, North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The ...

and pine, honeysuckle berries, cranberries,

whortleberries Whortleberry may refer to the berries of several plants of genus ''Vaccinium'': * ''Vaccinium myrtillus'', European bilberry or blue whortleberry * ''Vaccinium vitis-idaea'', lingonberry or red whortleberry * ''Vaccinium uliginosum'', bog whortle ...

, huckleberries, the seeds of locust trees and of

snow brush Snow comprises individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes. It consists of frozen crystalline water throughout ...

buckbrush Buckbrush is the common name for several species of North American shrubs that deer feed on, including but probably not limited to: *''Cephalanthus occidentalis'' *'' Phyllanthopsis phyllanthoides'', maidenbrush (south-central U.S.) * Some western N ...

, thistle, willow herb, grasses and many others types of seed. Dandelion flowers and leaves are sometimes eaten and the animal has been caught in traps baited with meat. It does not

hibernate Hibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy characterized by low body-temperature, slow breathing and heart-rate, and low metabolic rate. It most ...

but it may have periods of torpor. Breeding takes place in the late spring and summer, a litter size averaging five young born after a gestation period of about 31 days. Most nests are underground in a burrow but tree nests are occasionally used, often placed immediately underneath dense growths of dead twigs. The young first emerge from the nest when aged about 45 days.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1770179 Neotamias Mammals described in 1920 Taxa named by Arthur H. Howell Taxonomy articles created by Polbot