Richardson's Ground Squirrel, called 'gopher' by prairie residents, is a colonial, buffy-gray ground squirrel of the northern Great Plains and Canadian prairies. It emerges from hibernation in early spring, with males waking weeks before females to establish territories. Its alarm call—a piercing whistle—has given it the nickname 'picket pin' because motionless individuals resemble fence posts.
Habitat
Prairie grasslands, sagebrush flats, and cultivated fields
Diet
Grasses, forbs, seeds, and insects
How common
Common
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