California Ground Squirrel
Otospermophilus beecheyi
Adult California ground squirrels live in open habitats across much of California and nearby regions, using extensive burrow systems for shelter, nesting, and escape. They eat seeds, grasses, leaves, fruits, roots, fungi, and occasional insects, making them flexible omnivores. Adults are alert daytime foragers that give sharp alarm calls and retreat underground when threatened. They are famous for tail-flagging and even heating their tails when confronting rattlesnakes, signals that can deter a predator from striking.
- Type
- Burrow
- Conservation status
- LC
Growth chain
- California Ground Squirrel Pup
- California Ground Squirrel