Thirteen-lined ground squirrels now live in the Upper Peninsula – Marquette Mining Journal

Sitting under a tree in a park in the summer, listening to birds and squirrels chirping while reading a good book is priceless. Charmaine J. Forde

By SCOT STEWART

Special to the Journal

There are of course, different types of squirrels in the Upper Peninsula. Most are quite familiar with the array of tree squirrels found in town and in the woods. There are red squirrels, and gray squirrels, including a black, melanistic form, all active during the daytime. The red squirrels are the noisiest, with their long, trilled call loud enough to be heard far off in the woods, or in the next block in town. The gray squirrels dont make much noise until there is a fuss a quarrel over food, or a disturbance. Then there are flying squirrels, two species, northern and southern, and they are mostly active after dark and they dont make much noise at all. They are so secretive, folks are usually stunned when they find them not only in their neighborhood, but actually living in their house with them.

But there is a whole different type of squirrel here in parts of the U.P., and they are relative newcomers. Ground squirrels, thirteen-lined ground squirrels. They originally were just found on the Great Plains but as areas have been cleared, they have move eastward. They are now found from Alberta to Texas, and the Rockies to Ohio. They prefer open areas with short grass, away from the forest. Solitary animals, they dont share a burrow, but will often live close together where the habitat is good.

Around Marquette they are commonly seen and heard in a number of areas where they can easily be observed. Around the mouth of the Dead River, in the grassy-weedy spots, on the edge of Wright Street near Lakeshore Blvd. along the less manicured portions of the football playing fields, and next to the bike path north the entrance to the Shiras Steam Plant, there are established small grouping of these rodents.

They often live completely unnoticed, bearing a low profile, and being relatively nervous little animals, usually dive into their burrows at the slightest signs of danger. The first noticeable sign they are present is usually their short, high-pitched whistle, warning others of a potential predator. They are hunted by snakes, weasels, foxes, hawks and owls, and usually less than 10% live to their first winter. That truly loud whistle sounds like a call of a bird, and when none is seen most pass it off as something that flew away. A quick whistle and they dive for cover. They make small dead-end safety burrows and longer tunnels to sleeping areas where they eventually hibernate in winter.There is a great deal of variety in the diet of thirteen-lined ground squirrels. They belong to a group of rodents called spermophiles, from their Latin name, Spermophilus, meaning seed lovers. Weedy areas often provide plenty of seeds, to go with roots, grass and clovers. They also eat small amphibians, insects and other arthropods like spiders and millipedes. They will even grab a bite of carrion if available.

They are cute little furballs. As their common name indicated, they have rows of tan and dark brown lines across their backs, the darker lines punctuated with rows of light dots. Like their larger rodent relatives, the prairie dogs, they frequently grab a paw/handful of grass blades or a bunch of clover and sit on their haunches to eat it, raising their heads slightly above the line of vegetation to watch for danger. They are probably at their best when collecting vegetation to line their burrows. Filling their mouths with large bunches of grass they offer a whiskered look, just a bit like those chipmunks with cheek pouches full of seeds. Ever curious, they will peek out of their burrows frequently after being frightened, and it is that wondering mind that probably gets them in the most trouble.

So, listen carefully when out for a walk, and check the ground regularly for groups of holes in short grass. If a spot is found where it looks like 18 holes of golf could be played in about 30 seconds, more than likely there are ground squirrels living there. Stop, freeze and watch the holes for peering eyes.

Scot Stewart is a teacher at Bothwell Middle School in Marquette and a freelance photographer.

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Thirteen-lined ground squirrels now live in the Upper Peninsula - Marquette Mining Journal