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- Kingdom - Animals - Animalia
  - Phylum - Vertebrates - Craniata
    - Class - Mammals - Mammalia
      - Order - Rodents - Rodentia
        
        Family - Squirrels - Sciuridae
        
        Species - Uinta Ground Squirrel - Urocitellus armatus

Uinta Ground Squirrel - Urocitellus armatus

Potential Species of Concern
Native Species

Global Rank: G5
State Rank: SU
(see State Rank Reason below)

Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:
FWP SWAP: SGIN

External Links

Listen to an Audio Sample

Copyright Jeff Rice and the Western Soundscape Archive at the University of Utah. Audio file courtesy of the Acoustic Atlas at Montana State University (www.acousticatlas.org)

State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)

Species is found across southwestern Montana. It is easily confused with other ground squirrel species and data to assess habitat associations, trends and threats is lacking.

Uinta Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus armatus) Conservation Status Summary
State Rank: SU
Review Date = 09/16/2024
See the complete Conservation Status Rank Report

How we calculate Conservation Status Ranks

General Description

We do not yet have descriptive information on this species. Please try the buttons above to search for information from other sources.

Species Range

Montana Range Range Descriptions

Native

Western Hemisphere Range

Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database

Number of Observations: 69

(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version) Map Help and Descriptions

Relative Density

Recency

(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)

Migration

Non-migratory.

Habitat

Sub alpine meadows and forest edge. Often near water, and take advantage of moist site succulent greens.

National Vegetation Classification System Groups Associated with this Species

Forest and Woodland

Deciduous Forest and Woodland

Rocky Mountain Aspen Forest and Woodland

Montane - Subalpine Forest and Woodland

Dry Spruce-fir Forest

Interior PNW Douglas-fir Forest and Woodland

Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir Forest

Shrubland

Foothills - Montane Shrubland

Mountain Mahogany Woodland and Shrubland

Sagebrush Shrubland

Basin and Wyoming Big (Threetip) Sagebrush Shrubland

Mountain Big Sagebrush Shrubland

Grassland

Montane - Subalpine Grassland

Montane - Subalpine Dry Grassland

Montane - Subalpine Mesic Grassland and Meadow

Wetland and Riparian

Alpine Riparian and Wetland

Alpine - Subalpine Herbaceous and Dwarf-Shrub Riparian and Wetland

Riparian and Wetland Forest

Montane - Subalpine Riparian Forest

Montane Forested Wetland

Riparian Shrubland

Lowland - Montane Riparian Shrubland

Montane - Subalpine Riparian and Seep Shrubland

Wet Meadow and Marsh

Montane Wet Meadow and Marsh

Recently Disturbed or Modified

Recently Burned

Recently Burned Forest

Human Land Use

Agriculture

Pasture/Hay, Dryland

Developed

Developed - Vegetation

Food Habits

Little known for Montana.

Ecology

Apparently sympatric and even syntopic with S. richardsonii, S. columbianus, and S. elegans in Madison County. Sympatric with S. columbianus and S. richardsonii in Beaverhead County, possibly in Jefferson and Broadwater Counties as well.

Reproductive Characteristics

Little known for Montana. Probably average 4 to 7 young per litter. Born in May. Emerge from burrow 24 days after birth.

Stewardship Responsibility

References

Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?
- Atkinson, E.C. 1992. Ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis) inventories on the Dillon Resource Area of southwest Montana: 1992. Montana Natural Heritage Program for Bureau of Land Management, Dillon Resource Area. 34 pp.
- Buck, C.L. 1939. Pattern correlation of mammalian teeth as a means of identification. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, Montana: Montana State University. 55 p.
- Craighead, A.C. 2000. Pellet and scat analysis as indicators of present and past habitats. M.Sc. Theses. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 219 p.
- Eshelman, B.D. and C.S. Sonnemann. 2000. Spermophilus armatus. Mammalian Species. 637: 1-6.
- Foresman, K.R. 2001. The wild mammals of Montana. American Society of Mammalogists, Special Publication Number 12. Lawrence, KS. 278 pp.
- Foresman, K.R. 2012. Mammals of Montana. Second edition. Mountain Press Publishing, Missoula, Montana. 429 pp.
- Hatier, K.G. 1995. Effects of helping behaviors on Coyote packs in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. M Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 78 p.
- Hoffmann, R.S. and D.L. Pattie. 1968. A guide to Montana mammals: identification, habitat, distribution, and abundance. Missoula, MT: University of Montana. 133 p.
- Joslin, Gayle, and Heidi B. Youmans. 1999. Effects of recreation on Rocky Mountain wildlife: a review for Montana. [Montana]: Montana Chapter of the Wildlife Society.
- Koeppl, J.W. and R.S. Hoffman. 1981. Comparative postnatal growth of four ground squirrel species. Journal of Mammalogy. 62(1): 41-57.
- Koeppl, J.W., R.S. Hoffmann and C.F. Nadler. 1978. Pattern analysis of acoustical behavior in four species of ground squirrels. Journal of Mammalogy. 59(4): 677-696.
- Maxell, B.A. 2016. Northern Goshawk surveys on the Beartooth, Ashland, and Sioux Districts of the Custer-Gallatin National Forest: 2012-2014. Montana Natural Heritage Program. Helena, MT. 114pp.
- Oechsli, L.M. 2000. Ex-urban development in the Rocky Mountain West: consequences for native vegetation, wildlife diversity, and land-use planning in Big Sky, Montana. M.Sc. Thesis. Montana State University, Bozeman. 73 p.
- Reid, F. 2006. Peterson Field Guide to Mammals of North America, 4th Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston and New York, 608 pp.
- Slade, N.A. and D.F. Balph. 1974. Population ecology of Uinta ground squirrels. Ecology 55(5): 989-1003.
- Thompson, L.S. 1982. Distribution of Montana amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. Bozeman: Montana Audubon Council. 24 pp.
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Citation for data on this website:
Uinta Ground Squirrel — Urocitellus armatus. Montana Field Guide. Montana Natural Heritage Program and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved on December 16, 2025, from https://FieldGuide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=AMAFB05050