Bedding and nesting material gathering in rock squirrels, Spermophilus (Otospermophilus) variegatus grammurus (Say) (Sciuridae) in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona

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Rock squirrels (Spermophilus variegatus grammurus) observed in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona collected bedding and nesting material, from various sources, in a treed rocky canyon habitat (Transition Zone). Dry leaves were used most frequently. More exceptionally, the sciurids gathered such material as dry pine needle bundles of the Apache pine and fibrous material from decaying agave stumps. They were also seen peeling off long strips of fibrous bark from vines, particularly the Arizona grape (debarking behavior). Possible seasonal shifts in the material used are discussed, particularly in relation with the succession of dry and rainy seasons, respectively. Rock squirrels exhibit more diversity in the kind of material collected than some other ground squirrel species, but this appears to reflect, at least in part, their more diversified habitat, although species differences might also play a part.

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Reference Code: A75STE01IDUS

Full Citation; Steiner, A. L. 1975. Bedding and nesting material gathering in rock squirrels, Spermophilus (Otospermophilus) variegatus grammurus (Say) (Sciuridae) in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona. Southwestern Naturalist 20(3): 363-370

Location: ANIMAL EF: SPERMOPHILUS VARIEGATUS