Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Arizona Woodrat
Arizona Woodrats (or Packrats) typically have litters of two young, which can be born at any time of the year. Newborns weigh about 10 g. Learn more about the Neotoma devia, more commonly known as an Arizona Woodrat, in this easy-to-read...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Allegheny Woodrat
The Allegheny Woodrat is the only woodrat in its Appalachian Mountain range. Instead of building large stick houses, these Woodrats build cup-shaped nests of twigs, bark bits, and grass in rocks and buildings. Learn more about the...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Arizona Pocket Mouse
Like other heteromyid rodents, Arizona Pocket Mice are solitary creatures. They spend the day in underground burrows, emerging only at night. Learn more about the Perognathus amplus, more commonly known as an Arizona Pocket Mouse, in...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Brush Deermouse
Brush Deermice occupy rocky and brushy or forested environments in which rock ledges, piles of brush, fallen trees, and boulders offer shelter and denning sites. Although they are reportedly good climbers, they only occasionally build...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Cactus Deermouse
Cactus Deermice are found in habitats with sandy soil and scattered vegetation, from low deserts to rocky foothills. They typically live in burrows but are also found on the surface in piles of debris, vegetation, or rock crevices. Learn...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Cotton Deermouse
A medium-sized rodent with large ears and eyes, the Cotton Deermouse is dark golden-brown above with white underparts and feet. It is very similar to the white-footed Mouse, with which it breeds in captivity. Learn more about the...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Appalachian Cottontail
The Appalachian Cottontail and the New England Cottontail look almost identical, and for a long time they were thought to be the same species. They are medium-sized rabbits with fine, silky fur. Learn more about the Sylvilagus obscurus,...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Yellow Pine Chipmunk
Yellow-pine chipmunks are common in meadows, rocky outcrops, and the borders of yellow pine and juniper forests. They feed in open, sunny areas, favoring seeds, and use their cheek pouches to carry food to the nest to store for winter....
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: California Pocket Mouse
California Pocket Mice eat seeds, insects, and sometimes green leaves. Like other pocket mice in the genus Chaetodipus, they scurry around on all four feet (unlike kangaroo rats, which are in the same family of rodents, and which hop on...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Bailey's Pocket Mouse
Bailey's Pocket Mice are solitary, nocturnal, and live in burrows. Pocket Mice mostly eat seeds, using their "pockets," fur-lined, external cheek pouches, to bring seeds to their nests, where they store them in preparation for leaner...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Common Gray Fox
Gray foxes are adept at climbing trees. They are active at night and during twilight, sleeping during the day in dense vegetation or secluded rocky places. Learn more about the Urocyon cinereoargenteus, more commonly known as a Common...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Chihuahuan Pocket Mouse
The Chihuahuan Pocket Mouse differs only slightly in appearance from the Desert Pocket Mouse (Chaetodipus penicillatus) but there is little overlap in their geographic ranges. The Chihuahuan Pocket Mouse is a bit larger and lighter than...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Bobcat
The Bobcat is the most widely distributed native cat in North America. Bobcats occupy many habitat types, from desert to swamp to mountains. Learn more about the Lynx rufus, more commonly known as a Bobcat, in this easy-to-read species...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: American Pika
American Pikas scent-mark with their cheek glands, and also communicate with both long and short vocalizations. Short calls are uttered as alarms and to announce that they are departing or returning from foraging, and males perform a...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Collared Pika
Collared Pikas are common in the mountains of central and southern Alaska, particularly above the timberline. They are very vocal animals, calling loudly to one another with short, sharp sounds that may be alarm calls or have a role in...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Broad Footed Mole
Broad-footed Moles' forefeet are almost as wide as they are long, and their fur is nearly uniformly black. They seem to prefer moist soils, but will inhabit dry areas with large boulders. Learn more about the Scapanus latimanus, more...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Arizona Gray Squirrel
Walnuts are a favorite food of Arizona Gray Squirrels, and when they find an abundance, the squirrels soon stain their faces, paws, and undersides a distinct brownish-orange from walnut juice. Other foods eaten may include fungi, acorns,...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Arizona Cotton Rat
All cotton rats have a strong connection with grass, which they feed upon, and in which they construct their runways. Within their range in southeast and central Arizona and western Mexico, Arizona cotton rats inhabit only grassy areas...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Brush Rabbit
When they are frightened, Brush Rabbits often thump the ground with a hind foot and may also squeal. These very small cottontails use burrows dug by other animals as escape routes, and sometimes climb into shrubs or low trees to avoid...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: American Black Bear
Most Black Bears hibernate for up to seven months, and do not eat, drink, urinate, or exercise the entire time. In the South, where plant food is available all year, not all bears hibernate, but pregnant females do. Learn more about the...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Big Eared Kangaroo Rat
The Big-eared Kangaroo Rat has the longest ears of any kangaroo rat, and weighing in at about 85 g, is one of the largest Dipodomys species in California. It is dark cinnamon in color, with white underparts and brown ears. Learn more...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: California Kangaroo Rat
California Kangaroo Rats require open areas away from the humidity of the coast in northern California and southern Oregon. They seem to need well-drained soil, and after a rain can be seen pushing mud out of their burrows. Learn more...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: American Marten
American Martens are widely distributed in northern forests across Canada and into Alaska. Only 200 years ago, they were also abundant in the southeastern United States. Learn more about the Martes americana, more commonly known as an...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Blainville's Beaked Whale
Blainville's beaked whale is found worldwide in warm temperate to tropical waters. Small pods of 3-7 whales have been seen off Hawaii in waters 700 to 1,000 m deep, near much deeper water. Learn more about the Mesoplodon densirostris,...