Mammals crepuscular

Townsend's Vole

Microtus townsendii

The largest vole in North America, the Townsend's Vole is a master of the hidden meadow. Often heard but rarely seen, this chocolate-colored rodent builds a secret world of tunnels and trails right beneath the grass.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Total length 170–250 mm (6.7–9.8 in); tail length 48–72 mm (1.9–2.8 in); weight 50–150 g (1.8–5.3 oz)

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Colors

Dark brownish-black to chocolate brown upper parts with a grayish-white or buff-colored belly; tail is bicolored, dark above and lighter below

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Key Features

Largest vole species in North America
Long tail comprising nearly 1/3 of total body length
Small, rounded ears that barely protrude from the fur
Stocky, robust body with short legs

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern crepuscular

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Peak hours 6-9 AM, 5-8 PM

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Season Year-round

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Diet Strictly herbivorous, focusing on succulent green vegetation, grasses, sedges, and clovers. They also consume roots, bulbs, and tubers, especially during the winter months.

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Habitat Moist meadows, salt marshes, wetlands, and overgrown suburban gardens with proximity to water.

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Behavior

Townsend's Voles are the industrious engineers of the Pacific Northwest grasslands. They are best known for constructing elaborate 'runways'—narrow, cleared paths through dense grass that allow them to move quickly between burrow entrances while remaining hidden from overhead predators. Unlike many other vole species, they are surprisingly strong swimmers and are often found in marshy areas or damp meadows where they can navigate through shallow water with ease.

These rodents are not true hibernators and remain active throughout the year, even tunneling through snow in the winter. They are somewhat social and can live in high-density colonies when food is abundant. While they generally avoid human contact, they thrive in suburban environments that offer 'wild' corners with tall grass or thick mulch, where they can forage in relative safety.

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Camera Tips

To successfully capture Townsend's Voles on your AI camera, you must focus on their 'highways.' Look for 1-to-2-inch wide paths in tall grass where the vegetation has been clipped short or trampled down. Place your camera as low to the ground as possible—ideally just 2-3 inches up—and angle it slightly downward to frame the runway. Because these animals are small and move in quick, erratic bursts, a camera with a fast trigger speed and a high-sensitivity motion sensor is essential.

If you aren't seeing runways, try placing the camera near the edge of a garden bed or along a fence line, as voles prefer to travel along solid edges that provide a sense of security. Baiting can be very effective for keeping them in the frame long enough for a clear ID. A small pile of birdseed, a slice of apple, or even a smudge of peanut butter on a rock will encourage them to pause. Since they are most active during the low-light hours of dawn and dusk, ensure your camera's infrared LEDs are unobstructed and clean for crisp black-and-white night shots.

For the best results, use a 'burst' photo mode or short 10-15 second video clips. These voles are nervous and rarely sit still; a single photo might only capture a blurry tail, but a video will reveal their characteristic 'dash-and-stop' foraging behavior. If your camera allows for it, set the focus range to 'near' to ensure the rodent isn't a blurry blob in the foreground. In the winter, look for 'vent holes' in the snow near tree trunks or bushes—these are perfect spots to point a camera to catch them emerging for a quick snack.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Townsend's Vole.

Gray-tailed Vole

Smaller with a much shorter tail and generally grayer, less chocolate-toned fur.

Meadow Vole

Smaller overall with a shorter tail; lacks the slightly larger, more prominent ears of the Townsend's.

North American Deer Mouse

Easily distinguished by its white underbelly, massive eyes, large ears, and very long, thin tail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Townsend's Voles are primarily crepuscular, meaning they are most active during the dawn and dusk hours. However, they have a high metabolism and will emerge for short foraging bursts every few hours throughout the day and night.

To attract Townsend's Voles, leave a portion of your yard unmowed to provide cover and runway space. They are also drawn to moist areas, compost piles, and areas with plenty of clover or dropped seed from bird feeders.

Their diet consists almost entirely of plants. They love the green stems of grasses, sedges, and clovers, but will also dig for bulbs and roots if surface vegetation is scarce.

Yes, they are very common in suburban regions of the Pacific Northwest, particularly in yards that border parks, fields, or wetlands. They are frequently mistaken for large mice or rats.

Townsend's Voles are significantly larger than Meadow Voles and have a much longer tail. While a Meadow Vole's tail is usually twice the length of its hind foot, the Townsend's Vole's tail is nearly three times the length of its hind foot.

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