Nature Walk: Meadow Vole Trail

Meadow voles look like miniature beavers without a flattened tail. Like shrews and deer mice, they are active throughout the winter. Occasionally they can be seen running across the road, but they spend most of their time foraging for food beneath the snow or a covering of vegetation. Here we see a slightly collapsed trail where one has tunneled under the snow. Snow cover gives them protection from the cold and from predators as they are a prime food source for birds of prey and canines like foxes and coyotes.

Have you seen vole trails like this one during your winter hikes?

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