Meadow Vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus)

This Meadow Vole was safely released after falling into a bucket. Photographed at Bas-Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada
Photograph by Gilles Gonthier. Some rights reserved. (view image details)

MEADOW VOLE FACTS

Description
The Meadow Vole is dark brown to dark reddish brown above and grey or white underneath. The winter coat is grayish. Meadow Voles are active during the day and night. They tend to be nocturnal during the summer and diurnal during the winter. They are good diggers and strong swimmers.

Size
Total length 13cm - 20cm. Weight: 33g - 65g

Environment
meadows, lowland fields, grassy marshes, river banks

Food
grass, sedges, herbs, seeds and grains, roots, tubers

Breeding
A litter of 6 or 7 is born after a gestation period of 21 days. The young weigh 2.5g at birth and are helpless. They are weaned after about 14 days.

Range
from central Alaska to the Atlantic coast and south to New Mexico. In the United States it extends west to the Rocky Mountains.

Classification

Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Muridae
Genus:	Microtus
Species:	pennsylvanicus
Common Name:	Meadow Vole

Relatives in same Genus
  Rock Vole (M. chrotorrhinus)
  Long-tailed Vole (M. longicaudus)
  Singing Vole (M. miurus)
  Tundra Vole (M. oeconomus)
  Woodland Vole (M. pinetorum)

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