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The bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) is a small vole with red-brown fur and some grey patches, with a tail about half as long as its body. A rodent, it lives in woodland areas and is around 100 millimetres (3.9 in) in length. The bank vole is found in much of Europe and in northwestern Asia.
Northern red-backed voles live in a variety of northern forest and shrubland habitats. [2] [4] They occur in every major forest type in central Alaska. [5]Plant species commonly found in areas occupied by northern red-backed voles include black spruce (Picea mariana), white spruce (Picea glauca), quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), paper birch (Betula papyrifera), alder (Alnus spp.), willow ...
Eastern meadow voles are active year-round [8] [9] and day or night, with no clear 24-hour rhythm in many areas. [10] Most changes in activity are imposed by season, habitat, cover, temperature, and other factors. Eastern meadow voles have to eat frequently, and their active periods (every two to three hours) are associated with food digestion.
Because they feed on roots and tubers, voles do not need to drink water much. [3] Voles cache food, primarily during the winter. [5] Voles spend most of their time underground in their burrow systems and seldom venture into the surface. This makes them safe from hawks and owls. [4] Other predators of voles include snakes, weasels and mountain ...
Unlike other voles, prairie voles are generally monogamous. The prairie vole is a notable animal model for studying monogamous behavior and social bonding because male and female partners form lifelong pair bonds , huddle and groom each other, share nesting and pup-raising responsibilities, and generally show a high level of affiliate behavior.
In North America and most of Europe, voles predominate in the diet, and shrews are the second most common food choice. [24] In Ireland, the accidental introduction of the bank vole in the 1950s led to a major shift in the barn owl's diet: where their ranges overlap, the vole is now by far the largest prey item. [32]
Field voles are induced ovulators. [9] The short-tailed field vole breeds throughout the year but the breeding season peaks in spring and summer. The nest is made on or just under the surface of the ground, often in a clump of grass or sedge. The gestation period is about three weeks and up to a dozen young are borne.
The western meadow vole (Microtus drummondii) is a species of North American vole found in western North America, the midwestern United States, western Ontario, Canada, and formerly in Mexico. It was previously considered conspecific with the eastern meadow vole ( M. pennsylvanicus ), but genetic studies indicate that it is a distinct species.