BC Conservation Data Centre: Species Summary
Urocitellus columbianus
Columbian Ground Squirrel
| Scientific Name: | Urocitellus columbianus (Ord, 1815) | ||||||||||
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| Scientific Name Synonyms: |
Spermophilus columbianus
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| English Name: | Columbian Ground Squirrel | ||||||||||
| Classification / Taxonomy | |||||||||||
| Scientific Name - Concept Reference: | Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/. | ||||||||||
| Classification Level: | Species | ||||||||||
| Taxonomy Comments: | March 2012 - name changed from Spermophilus columbianus to Urocitellus columbianus to align with NatureServe (DDW). | ||||||||||
| Species Group: | Vertebrate Animal | ||||||||||
| Species Code: | M-URCO | ||||||||||
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| Conservation Status / Legal Designation | |||||||||||
| Global Status: | G5 (Apr 2016) | ||||||||||
| Provincial Status: | S5 (Mar 2024) | ||||||||||
| BC List: | Yellow | ||||||||||
| Provincial FRPA list: | |||||||||||
| Provincial Wildlife Act: | |||||||||||
| COSEWIC Status: | |||||||||||
| SARA Schedule: | |||||||||||
| General Status Canada: | 4 - Secure (2005) | ||||||||||
| Ecology & Life History | |||||||||||
| General Description: | |||||||||||
| Global Reproduction Comments: | Mating occurs soon after females emerge from hibernation. Gestation lasts 24 days. Litter of 2-7 (average 2-4) altricial young is born May-late June. Nursing period usually lasts about 30 days. Sexually mature in 1-2 years; 22-33% survive to maturity (Zammuto and Millar 1985). In southwestern Alberta, reproductive success of females ranged from 0 to 19 yearlings produced over a lifetime (King et al. 1991). | ||||||||||
| Global Ecology Comments: | Colonial. Population density of 32-35/ha was reported for central Idaho and Alberta; 25-62/ha on agricultural lands in Washington; density generally is uneven over large areas (see Elliot and Flinders 1991). See Festa-Bianchet and King (1991) for information on survivorship and reproduction during population increases and decreases in Alberta. In southwestern Alberta, intercolony dispersal was mainly by yearling males; usually dispersed less than 4 km but up to 8.5 km (Wiggett and Boag 1989). Average home range of adult male was about 0.4 ha, of adult female about 0.1 ha. Adult males defend (primarily during breeding season) core areas within home range. Adult females defend territory near nest burrow; exhibit strong site fidelity. Reservoir for Rocky Mountain spotted fever and bubonic plague. Prey for various carnivores and diurnal raptors. Populations can withstand heavy predation without declining (Murie, 1992, J. Mamm. 73:385-394). | ||||||||||
| Migration Characteristics: (Global / Provincial) | |||||||||||
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Nonmigrant: Local Migrant: Distant Migrant: Within Borders Migrant: |
Y / N / N / na / |
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| Habitats: (Type / Subtype / Dependence) |
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| Global Habitat Comments: | Open habitat: high grass plateaus, sagebrush plains, valley grasslands, openings (meadows, clearcuts) in coniferous forests, alpine meadows, and stream banks. Not very tolerant of dry conditions. Typically burrows in friable or sandy soils in open ground or bank under boulder or log. | ||||||||||
| Food Habits: |
Frugivore: Adult, Immature
Granivore: Adult, Immature Herbivore: Adult, Immature |
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| Global Food Habits Comments: | Feeds on a wide variety of vegetation: roots, bulbs, stems, leaves, seeds, and berries. Also eats some animal food (e.g., insects, mice, dead fish). May climb into trees and shrubs to obtain buds and fruits. | ||||||||||
| Global Phenology: |
Diurnal: Adult, Immature
Hibernates/aestivates: Adult, Immature |
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| Global Phenology Comments: | Spends about 70% of year in hibernation. Active season is shorter at higher elevations (about 86 days in adults) than at lower elevations (about 100 days) (Can. J. Zool. 70:1364). May enter winter den and begin to hibernate during dry weather, July-October; emerges from hibernation February-April. Hibernation dates vary with elevation. Active from about 20 minutes after sunrise to about 10 min after sunset in spring-sum. | ||||||||||
| Provincial Phenology: (1st half of month/ 2nd half of month) |
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| Colonial Breeder: | N | ||||||||||
| Length(cm)/width(cm)/Weight(g): | 41/ / 812 | ||||||||||
| Elevation (m) (min / max): |
Global:
Provincial: |
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| Distribution | |||||||||||
| Endemic: | N | ||||||||||
| Global Range Comment: | Central Rocky Mountains in North America, from southeastern British Columbia and southwestern Alberta, Canada, south through northern and eastern Washington, northeastern Oregon, northern and central Idaho and western Montana in the U.S. Elevational range mainly 700-8000 ft. | ||||||||||
| Authors / Contributors | |||||||||||
| Global Information Author: | Hammerson, G. | ||||||||||
| Last Updated: | Jan 26, 1994 | ||||||||||
| Provincial Information Author: | |||||||||||
| Last Updated: | |||||||||||
| References and Related Literature | |||||||||||
Albert, W. W., and C. R. Record. 1982. Efficacy and costs of four rodenticides for controlling Columbian ground squirrels in western Montana. Great Plains Wildlife Damage Control Workshop Proceedings 5:218-230. |
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Askham, L. R. 1985. Effectiveness of two anticoagulant rodenticides (chlorophacinone and bromadiolone) for Columbian ground squirrel (SPERMOPHILUS COLUMBIANUS) control in eastern Washington. Crop Protection 4:365-371. |
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Banfield, A. W. F. 1974. The mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. 438 pp. |
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Dalquest. W. W. 1948. Mammals of Washington. University of Kansas Museum Natural History Publ. 2:1-444. |
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Elliot, C. L., and J. T. Flinders. 1991. Spermophilus columbianus. Am. Soc. Mamm., Mammalian Species No. 372:1-9. |
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Festa-Bianchet, M., and W. J. King. 1991. Effects of litter size and population dynamics on juvenile and maternal survival in Columbian ground squirrels. J. Anim. Ecol. 60:1077-1090. |
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King, W. J., M. Festa-Bianchet, and S. E. Hatfield. 1992. Determinants of reproductive success in female Columbian ground squirrels. Oecologia 86:528-534. |
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MacNeil, D., and C. Strobeck. 1987. Evolutionary relationships among colonies of Columbian ground squirrels as shown by mitochondrial DNA. Evolution 41:873-881. |
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Matschke, G. H., et al. 1988. Comparative toxicity of strychnine to eight species of ground squirrels. Great Plains Wildlife Damage Control Workshop Proceedings 8:75-80. |
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Murie, J. O., and G. R. Michener, editors. 1984. The biology of ground-dwelling squirrels: annual cycles, behavioral ecology and sociality. Univ. Nebraska Press, Lincoln. xvi + 459 pp. |
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Nagorsen, D. W. 2005b. The rodents and lagomorphs of British Columbia. Royal B.C. Mus. Handb., Victoria, BC. 410pp. |
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Wiggett, D. R., and D. A. Boag. 1989. Intercolony natal dispersal in the Columbian ground squirrel. Can. J. Zool.67:42-50. |
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Zammuto, R. M., and J. S. Millar. 1985. A consideration of bet-hedging in Spermophilus columbianus. J. Mamm. 66:652- 660. |
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for definitions of the data fields used in this summary report.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 1994. Species Summary: Urocitellus columbianus. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jul 18, 2025).