Thirteen-lined ground squirrels favor Nebraska’s short, open grass: grazed prairie, road verges, cemeteries, fairgrounds, and closely mown parkland. Their alternating pale stripes and rows of spots are distinctive, but their habit of dropping flat or vanishing into a burrow can make them surprisingly easy to miss.
Where to look
Open sites around Toadstool Geologic Park, Oglala National Grassland, the Platte corridor, and Valentine National Wildlife Refuge all fit the species. On warm mornings, watch low turf near burrow entrances and listen for short alarm calls.
Above-ground activity is strongly seasonal. Nebraska records peak from April through July; the squirrels spend the cold part of the year hibernating underground, so “year-round” occurrence does not mean year-round visibility.
Full species profile
