Family: Heteromyidae, Pocket Mice and Kangaroo Rats view all from this family

Description Medium-sized, relatively short-tailed five-toed kangaroo rat. Color of back may be brownish, reddish, or blackish, depending on the subspecies. The belly is white.

Dimensions 208-365mm, 100-163mm, 50-96g

Similar Species Has shorter hind feet (39-44mm) than the Panamint Kangaroo Rat. The Chisel-toothed Kangaroo Rat has chisel-shaped lower incisors; the Gulf Coast Kangaroo Rat has an orange cast to the pelage and a shorter, less-crested tail.

Habitat Scrub, shrub & brushlands, Meadows & fields, Deserts, Grasslands & prairies

Range Plains, Rocky Mountains, Southwest, Texas, California, Northwest, Western Canada

Discussion Nocturnal and active year-round, Ord’s Kangaroo Rat is more often seen on cloudy nights and rarely on cold or snowy nights. Occupies variety of habitats associated with fine-textured, sandy soils including semiarid grasslands, mixed grasslands, and scrublands