Prairie Vole Exhibits Unique Behavior
By: Dr Pat Rusz, Director of Wildlife Programs
Nearly everyone who has walked through Michigan’s fields has come across a vole. Most likely, it was a meadow vole, sometimes referred to (somewhat incorrectly) as a field mouse. Voles are small (five inches long), short-tailed animals that create runways under thick, grassy vegetation. They cache seeds, acorns, fruit and grains in impressive amounts in underground chambers.
Voles are favored prey of a host of animals including house cats, foxes, snakes, and hawks. When hay fields are cut, crows, gulls, and other birds descend by the dozens to gorge themselves on the temporarily exposed rodents.
One of the most unique types of voles is the endangered prairie vole of southwestern Michigan. It has a social structure that is complex in comparison with that of other rodents. Prairie voles pair up for life, and unlike meadow voles, are monogamous. That is unusual for an animal that lives only one or two years. The pair raises “pups” together, grooms each other, and cuddles. Even more amazing, if one of the partners dies, the other stays alone for the rest of its life.
Some prairie voles don’t select mates, opting to live in communal groups. These groups have a dominant female that usually is the only one that reproduces. She emits pheromones (a chemical) that inhibit the other females from reproducing. The communal groups and mated pairs will often come together in winter, then separate during the spring through fall breeding season.
This type of reproductive behavior is fairly common among the world’s animals, but is usually exhibited by long-lived species. It is hard to understand why a tiny rodent would evolve this strategy. Hopefully, the species will continue to hang on and scientists will get a better understanding of its natural history.
Nearly everyone who has walked through Michigan’s fields has come across a vole. Most likely, it was a meadow vole, sometimes referred to (somewhat incorrectly) as a field mouse. Voles are small (five inches long), short-tailed animals that create runways under thick, grassy vegetation. They cache seeds, acorns, fruit and grains in impressive amounts in underground chambers.
Voles are favored prey of a host of animals including house cats, foxes, snakes, and hawks. When hay fields are cut, crows, gulls, and other birds descend by the dozens to gorge themselves on the temporarily exposed rodents.
One of the most unique types of voles is the endangered prairie vole of southwestern Michigan. It has a social structure that is complex in comparison with that of other rodents. Prairie voles pair up for life, and unlike meadow voles, are monogamous. That is unusual for an animal that lives only one or two years. The pair raises “pups” together, grooms each other, and cuddles. Even more amazing, if one of the partners dies, the other stays alone for the rest of its life.
Some prairie voles don’t select mates, opting to live in communal groups. These groups have a dominant female that usually is the only one that reproduces. She emits pheromones (a chemical) that inhibit the other females from reproducing. The communal groups and mated pairs will often come together in winter, then separate during the spring through fall breeding season.
This type of reproductive behavior is fairly common among the world’s animals, but is usually exhibited by long-lived species. It is hard to understand why a tiny rodent would evolve this strategy. Hopefully, the species will continue to hang on and scientists will get a better understanding of its natural history.