Bushy-tailed woodrats, also called packrats, are known for hoarding shiny objects, bones, and plant debris into a large stick nest wedged into a rock crevice or cave mouth, a habit that ties them to the rocky terrain scattered across Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Devils Tower, and the Bighorn Mountains alike rather than any single habitat type.
Wyoming’s records climb sharply into an August peak of 39, against a single record in March, tracking the height of summer field-survey season and the stretch when this nocturnal rodent’s activity is easiest to confirm through fresh nest material. Only 30 of the state’s 95 records come from iNaturalist photographs, and NatureServe rates the species secure (S5) statewide.
Full species profile
