Mirriam’s Chipmunk

Tamias merriami

Merriam's chipmunks are diurnal and most do not hibernate. At high elevations, some may hibernate to avoid the snow and cold. During the fall, they collect and cache food, choose a shelter spot, and feed to increase their mass. Merriam's chipmunks use woodpecker cavities, natural cavities, and burrows from pocket gophers for night shelter. Most night shelters face east. Merriam's chipmunks travel along tree branches and logs. The trails are communal and are used generation after generation.

Family:

Sciuridae (squirrel)

Description:

Large for a chipmunk, they run 9 to 11 inches and weigh from 2.25 to 2.50 pounds. Merriam's chipmunks are grayish-brown, with dark stripes of equal width on the dorsal area. The stripes are typically gray or brown, rarely black. The belly and cheeks are white. The tail is long and bushy, and is usually edged with dull white.

Habitat:

Merriam's chipmunks occur in habitats that have trees, shrubs, logs, stumps, snags, rocks, and litter. An important factor is understory brush that they use for foraging. These animals inhabit chaparral, oak and pine forests, thickets by streams, and are often found around rock outcroppings. They also inhabit a wide variety of habitats if there are no competing species, such as black bears, mule deer, wild pigs, deer mice, kangaroo rats, and woodrats.

Range:

Merriam's chipmunks are distributed throughout central and southern California. In particular, they occur below 8800 feet in the South Coast, Transverse, Peninsular, and Southern Sierra Nevada ranges.

Diet: They have two daily forages and a resting period during midday. The first foraging period is in the morning and lasts about three and a half hours of constant activity. The second foraging is more relaxed and ends when they go into their shelter for the night. Searching for food to store in caches takes up most of its active time. Merriam’s chipmunk eat primary seeds and a various forbs and shrubs. They also have been known to consume insects and lizards.

Breeding:

Merriam's chipmunks breed from mid-January to June, with a peak during April. Gestation is about thirty-two days. Average litter size is four, but ranges from three to eight. Females have one litter per year. Mothers spend most of their time with their young for about two weeks. Nests are made in logs, stumps, snags, and burrows. The young are altricial, and must develop some before they emerge from the natal burrow or nest. At about one month of age, the young are able to leave the burrow. Their movements are uncoordinated, and they do things like go down trees backwards, rather than head-first. It takes about two weeks for them to develop the ability to jump accurately.

Comments:

Voice a high wisk; a repeated low bock; also sputtering noises.

mtm 02-27-2021