Prairie Vole

Photo by Natascia Goodwin on Wikimedia

Microtus ochrogaster

My parents visited recently, and we went for a walk on Konza Prairie. I was looking for wildflowers and migrating birds, but I encountered something I had not expected. Not even 20 feet from the parking lot, a small rodent was munching on some vegetation. I quickly grabbed for my phone, but I wasn’t faster than two college students who stormed by me and scared off the critter. I took a mental photo, and later at home, I perused my mammals guide to narrow it down. I finally figured out it was a prairie vole!

Prairie voles are normally crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk), so I was lucky to see one around 10 in the morning. As their name suggests, they inhabit prairies, grasslands, and agricultural fields. As I witnessed, they eat vegetation in the spring and summer and roots in the colder months.

Next time I am on the Konza, I’m going to have to look for more vole signs. Apparently, they leave little runways in the grass, as well as tunnel underground. I’ve seen vole tunnels before. My parent’s yard is habitat for meadow voles, but I never got to see one in person! I’m not sure if my parents had before, either. They were surprised at how big it was and how cute! Maybe they will stop complaining about the voles in their yard now.

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