Head to head
Richardson's Ground Squirrel vs Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel
Richardson's ground squirrel and the thirteen-lined ground squirrel both stand watch over North American grassland, but one is a plain-coated northern prairie species nicknamed the flickertail and the other a boldly striped Great Plains burrower.
| Richardson's Ground Squirrel | Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Urocitellus richardsonii | Ictidomys tridecemlineatus |
| Back pattern | Plain buff-grey coat without stripes | Thirteen alternating pale lines and rows of spotted dark stripes |
| Nickname | Flickertail | Striped gopher |
| Range | Northern Great Plains of Canada and the United States | Great Plains and nearby parts of central North America |
| Hibernation | Spends much of the year, often most of it, hibernating in a burrow | Hibernates deep in a burrow, with body temperature dropping to around freezing |
| Watching and warning | Stands bolt upright and gives sharp whistles and chirps to warn the colony | Stands upright to watch for predators |
| Diet | Grasses, seeds, and forbs, along with insects | Seeds, grasses, insects, and occasionally small animals |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Richardson's Ground Squirrel vs Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel: common questions
Which squirrel is called the flickertail?
Richardson's ground squirrel, which flicks its tail as it moves, a habit that also inspired a nickname for North Dakota.
Which one has stripes?
The thirteen-lined ground squirrel, which has thirteen alternating pale lines and rows of spotted dark stripes, while Richardson's ground squirrel has a plain buff-grey coat.
Where do Richardson's and thirteen-lined ground squirrels live?
Richardson's ground squirrel lives on grassland of the northern Great Plains in Canada and the United States, while the thirteen-lined ground squirrel lives across the Great Plains and nearby parts of central North America.