Desert woodrats build large stick nests wedged into rock crevices and cactus clumps, often incorporating cactus spines and thorny debris into the structure as a defense against predators, a habit that ties them tightly to the rocky desert terrain around Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
Records run from May through August with an even spread rather than one sharp peak, too few at just 8 iNaturalist and 60 GBIF records to describe a strong seasonal signal. NatureServe ranks the species S4, apparently secure, in Oregon, and its nests are often a more reliable field sign than the animal itself, which is strictly nocturnal and rarely seen.
Full species profile
