The Nature of Kern County

 RODENTS  

California Ground Squirrel

Spermophilus beecheyi

by Alison Sheehey © 1998-2008

Kingdom - ANIMALIA     Phylum - CHORDATA     Subphylum - VERTEBRATA     Class - MAMMALIA     Order - RODENTIA     Family - SCIURIDAE     

Genus - Spermophilus     species epithet - beecheyi     subspecies epithet - fisheri or parvulus

Description: Length 14" - 20". Tail 5" - 9" Weight 10-26 oz. Undercoat brownish with coarse white hairs interspersed throughout coat. A white eye-ring surrounds a black eye. The shoulders appear to have a light stole covering them. A dark brown V shape outlines the shoulder stole. Belly buff. Semi-full bushy tail.

Habitat: Parks, golf courses, pastures, grain fields, open grassland, agricultural lands and canal banks. Basically occurs in any open areas. Found throughout Kern County. Digs long intricate tunnel systems. S. b. fisheri found west of the Tehachapis / Sierran crest and S. b. parvulus found at the base of the San Joaquin Valley ringing the foothills and from Walker Basin south and east.

Diet: Green vegetation, seeds, mushrooms, fruits, birds, eggs, and insects. The ground squirrel has been observed cannibalizing its dead. Stores food in underground dens.

Breeding: Creates an underground nest of dried vegetation in communal colonies. Litters are born throughout all seasons except winter. After a 25-30 day gestation, 5-8 young are born. The young first venture above ground at one month of age.

Range: This is the most common rodent noticed in Kern County. It is found throughout the county from wetland to high elevation conifer forests, and deserts of California and Oregon.

Status: This common resident is a major pest to agriculture and water projects. Its digging has collapsed many canal banks throughout California. It is a known carrier of Bubonic Plague in the higher elevations of its range. The ground squirrel is a very important prey species for many birds and carnivores.

Conservation comments: The California Ground Squirrel is an important link in the food web. A severe problem is caused by many people who indiscriminately set out poison to kill this animal. This has caused the deaths of many other types of animals through direct poisoning or secondary poisoning. Poisoned grain must be handled with care and squirrel carcasses must be removed and disposed of properly to prevent animals such as the Kit Fox from being killed

Also known as:

Beechey's Ground Squirrel

Citellus beecheyi or Otospermophilus beecheyi

California Ground Squirrel     Coyote     Deer Mouse     Desert Cottontail      Fox Squirrel     Kit Fox     Lodgepole Chipmunk     Virginia Opossum      San Joaquin Antelope Squirrel     Kern County Mammals     Kern Mammal Checklist

Page updated 8 August 2004

All text and photos copyrighted to Alison Sheehey. 

No permission to use is expressed or implied. 

Copyright ©1998-2003 Nature Ali • Weldon, CA 93283 •