Roadless Areas
Home/Species/ Dusky-footed Woodrat

Neotoma fuscipes

Baird, 1858

Dusky-footed Woodrat

G5Secure Found in 5 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
PSESA Status
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.768534
Element CodeAMAFF08080
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderRodentia
FamilyCricetidae
GenusNeotoma
USESAPS
Other Common Names
dusky-footed woodrat (EN) Un Ratón (ES)
Concept Reference
Motacq, M. D. 2002. Morphological and molecular analysis of a contact zone in the Neotoma fuscipes complex. Journal of Mammalogy 83:866-883.
Taxonomic Comments
Based on concordant patterns of morphological and mtDNA variation, Matocq (2002) split N. fuscipes into two species, N. fuscipes (dusky-footed woodrat) and N. macrotis (large-eared woodrat).
Conservation Status
Review Date1996-11-12
Change Date1996-11-12
Range Extent Comments
Extreme western North America, from the Columbia River in western Oregon south through California to northern Baja California, Mexico.
Threat Impact Comments
Generally populations are negatively affected by removal of undergrowth or shrubby vegetation.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Heavy chaparral; hardwood, conifer, and mixed forests, typically in densely wooded areas with heavy undergrowth; riparian woodlands. Builds house of debris on ground or in tree; houses tend to be in situations that are shaded, relatively cool, and in good cover, and they may be used by many generations over several years. After breeding, males live in tree dens apart from females.

Ecology

Population density is up to about 45/ha in optimal conditions; more typically 1-3 dozen/ha. One study found that each woodrat averaged 1.8 houses/home range. Loosely colonial, with partially overlapping home ranges; several individuals may live in the same area, though individuals (aside from females with young) typically live in separate houses. Adult home range averages around 2000 sq m. Predators include hawks, owls, bobcat, coyote, long-tailed weasel, etc. Stick houses provide cover for many vertebrate and invertebrate commensals.

Reproduction

Most young are born from February (especially in south) to May. Gestation lasts 30-37 days. Usually 1 litter/year. Litter size is 1-4, usually 2-3. Weaning begins at 3 weeks (Carraway and B. J. Verts. 1991, Maser et al. 1981).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparral
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
OregonS5Yes
NevadaSNRYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
Roadless Areas (5)
California (4)
AreaForestAcres
Crystal CreekSan Bernardino National Forest6,783
Devil GulchSierra National Forest30,490
Dry LakesLos Padres National Forest17,043
QuatalLos Padres National Forest7,253
Oregon (1)
AreaForestAcres
Cougar BluffUmpqua National Forest5,574
References (31)
  1. American Society of Mammalogists (ASM). 2025. Mammal Diversity Database (Version 1.13) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10595931. Online. Available: https://www.mammaldiversity.org/
  2. Baker, R. J., L. C. Bradley, R. D. Bradley, J. W. Dragoo, M. D. Engstrom, R. S. Hoffman, C. A. Jones, F. Reid, D. W. Rice, and C. Jones. 2003a. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 2003. Museum of Texas Tech University Occasional Papers 229:1-23.
  3. Banks, E. M., R. J. Brooks, and J. Schnell. 1975. A radiotracking study of home range and activity of the brown lemming (<i>Lemmus trimucronatus</i>). Journal of Mammalogy 56:888-901.
  4. Bowman, J. C., M. Edwards, L. S. Sheppard, and G. J. Forbes. 1999. Record distance for a non-homing movement by a deer mouse, <i>Peromyscus maniculatus</i>. Canadian Field-Naturalist 113:292-293.
  5. Bradley, R. D., C. W. Edwards, L. L. Lindsey, J. R. Bateman, M. NB Cajimat, M. L. Milazzo, C. F. Fulhorst, M. D. Matocq, and M. R. Mauldin. 2022. Reevaluation of the phylogenetic relationships among Neotomini rodents (<i>Hodomys</i>, <i>Neotoma</i>, and <i>Xenomys</i>) and comments on the woodrat classification. Journal of Mammalogy 103(5):1221-1236.
  6. Brooks, R. J., and E. M. Banks. 1971. Radio-tracking study of lemming home range. Communications in Behavioral Biology 6:1-5.
  7. Carraway, L. N., and B. J. Verts. 1991. <i>Neotoma fuscipes</i>. Am. Soc. Mamm., Mammalian Species No. 386:1-10.
  8. Castleberry, S., B., T. L. King, P. B. Wood, and W. M. Ford. 2002. Microsatellite DNA analysis of population structure in Allegheny woodrats (<i>Neotoma magister</i>). Journal of Mammalogy 83:1058-1070.
  9. Douglass, R. J. 1977. Population dynamics, home ranges, and habitat associations of the yellow-cheeked vole, <i>Microtus xanthognathus</i>, in the Northwest Territories. Canadian Field-Naturalist 91:237-47.
  10. Garland, T., Jr. and W. G. Bradley. 1984. Effects of a highway on Mojave Desert rodent populations. American Midland Naturalist 111:47-56.
  11. Hall, E. R. 1981a. The Mammals of North America, second edition. Vols. I &amp; II. John Wiley &amp; Sons, New York, New York. 1181 pp.
  12. Ingles, L. G. 1965. Mammals of the Pacific States. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California.
  13. Jike, L., G. O. Batzli, L. L. Geta. 1988. Home ranges of prairie voles as determined by radiotracking and by powdertracking. Journal of Mammalogy 69:183-186.
  14. Jones, J. K., Jr., R. S. Hoffman, D. W. Rice, C. Jones, R. J. Baker, and M. D. Engstrom. 1992a. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 1991. Occasional Papers, The Museum, Texas Tech University, 146:1-23.
  15. Koop, B. F., R. J. Baker, and J. T. Mascarello. 1985. Cladistic analysis of chromosomal evolution within the genus <i>Neotoma</i>. Occas. Pap. Mus. Texas Tech. Univ. 96:1-9.
  16. Krohne, D. T., and G. A. Hoch. 1999. Demography of <i>Peromyscus leucopus</i> populations on habitat patches: the role of dispersal. Canadian Journal of Zoology 77:1247-1253.
  17. Linsdale, J. M., and L. P. Tevis, Jr. 1951. The dusky-footed woodrat. University of California Press, Berkeley. 664 pp.
  18. MacMillen, R. E. 1964. Population ecology, water relations and social behavior of a southern California semidesert rodent fauna. University of California Publications in Zoology 71:1-59.
  19. Maier, T. J. 2002. Long-distance movements by female white-footed mice, <i>Peromyscus leucopus</i>, in extensive mixed-wood forest. Canadian Field-Naturalist 116:108-111.
  20. Mammalian Species, nos. 1-604. Published by the American Society of Mammalogists.
  21. Maser, C., B. R. Mate, J. F. Franklin, and C. T. Dyrness. 1981. Natural history of Oregon coast mammals. Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Expt. Sta., USDA, Forest Service, Gen Tech. Rep. PNW-133:1-496.
  22. Motacq, M. D. 2002. Morphological and molecular analysis of a contact zone in the <i>Neotoma fuscipes</i> complex. Journal of Mammalogy 83:866-883.
  23. Oxley, D. J., M. B. Fenton and G. R. Carmody. 1974. The effects of roads on populations of small mammals. Journal of Applied Ecology 11: 51-59.
  24. Rehmeier, R. L., G. A. Kaufman, and D. W. Kaufman. 2004. Long-distance movements of the deer mouse in tallgrass prairie. Journal of Mammalogy 85:562-568.
  25. Smith, M. H. 1965. Dispersal capacity of the dusky-footed wood rat, <i>Neotoma fuscipes</i>. American Midland Naturalist 74:457-463.
  26. Storer, T. I., F. C. Evans, and F. G. Palmer. 1944. Some rodent populations in the Sierra Nevada of California. Ecological Monographs 14:166-192.
  27. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1997. Proposed endangered status for the riparian brush rabbit and riparian woodrat. Federal Register 62(225):62276-62282.
  28. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2000. Final rule to list the riparian brush rabbit and the riparian, or San Joaquin Valley, woodrat as endangered. Federal Register 65(36):8881-8890.
  29. Wilkins, K. T. 1982. Highways as barriers to rodent dispersal. Southwestern Naturalist 27: 459-460.
  30. Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
  31. Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 2005. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Third edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. Two volumes. 2,142 pp. [As modified by ASM the Mammal Diversity Database (MDD) at https://www.mammaldiversity.org/index.html]