The Bushy-tailed Woodrat is distinguished from other woodrats by its thick, squirrel-like bushy tail and is the largest woodrat in North America. It inhabits rocky cliffs, talus slopes, and old buildings across western North America, building stick houses in sheltered rock crevices. Its urine crystallizes into a varnish-like amber lacquer called amberat that preserves plant material in middens for tens of thousands of years.
Best time to see a Bushy-tailed Woodrat
The best time to see a Bushy-tailed Woodrat is March–September, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 1,307 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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