Northern Red-backed Vole

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Northern Red-backed Vole
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Cricetidae Genus: Myodes Species: M. rutilus
Binomial name
Myodes rutilus (Pallas, 1779)

The Northern Red-backed Vole, Myodes rutilus, is a small slender vole found in Alaska, northern Canada, Scandinavia and northern Russia.

They have short slender bodies with a rust-coloured stripe along the back, light brown sides and underparts and a short thick tail. Their short ears are visible through their fur. They are 14 cm long with a 3.5 cm tail and weigh about 30 g.

These animals are found in northern forests, taiga and tundra regions, often near water or wetlands. They use runways through the surface growth created by other small rodents in warm weather and tunnel through the snow in winter. They feed on shrubs, berries, roots and underground fungi, also feeding on small dead rodents. Predators include hawks, owls and mustelids.

Female voles have two to five litters of four to nine young in a year. The nest is lined with grass.

They are active year-round, usually at night. They can cause damage to fruit trees and stored grains.

Species of Myodes (Red-backed vole)

Myodes californicus (Western Red-backed Vole) | Myodes centralis (Tien Shan Red-backed Vole) | Myodes gapperi (Southern Red-backed Vole) | Myodes glareolus (Bank Vole) | Myodes rufocanus (Grey Red-backed Vole) | Myodes rutilus (Northern Red-backed Vole) | Myodes sikotanensis (Shikotan Vole) |