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 Southern Red-back Voles - Southern red-back voles prefer coniferous woods near springs, brooks or bogs but they also inhabit deciduous forests. Red-backed voles are primarily herbivores, although they occasionally eat small invertebrates.
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A number of pictures of southern red-back voles as well as interesting details about the southern red-backed vole's appearance, characteristics, habitat, feeding habits and breeding cycle.
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Pictues of Southern Red-back Voles
The southern red-backed vole is found in many parts of northern America and its range also includes the southern tier of Canadian provinces. As you can see from the pictues of southern red-back voles on this page they have short slender bodies with a reddish band along the back and a short tail. The sides of the body and head are grey and the underparts are paler. They are 14 cm long with a 4 cm tail and weigh about 30 g.
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A captured red backed vole
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The southern red-backed vole occurs in a wide range of habitats including alpine tundra, bogs, and swamp edges, and at all elevations. However, it prefers moist forests, especially the mixed coniferous-deciduous, with an abundant supply of logs, stumps, roots, rocks, and twigs which provide shelter. The pictues of southern red-back voles on this page show how they like to keep close to vegetation in case they have to hide from predators.
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A southern red-backed vole foraging
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The southern red-backed vole is an omnivore. It prefers the stalks of shrubs and growing vegetative parts of weeds and most grasses; conifer seeds, nuts and roots; also insects and snails; sometimes lichens. Underground fungi also comprises an important part of their diet, especially in fall and individuals are known to store bulbs, stems, tubers, and nuts for later use.
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A red backed vole moving through leaves
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 Vole Picture - A number of different vole pictures showing various species of vole, including Meadow Voles, Field Voles, Bank Voles, Heather Voles and Prairie Voles.
The most relevant links we could find, placed here free
 SUNY-ESF
- This page has pictues of southern red-back voles as well as interesting information about their characteristics and behaviour. www.esf.edu
Animal Diversity Web
- This page has a number of pictues of southern red-back voles. animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu
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A southern red backed vole feeding
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Breeding takes place from April to October. The gestation period last 17 to 19 days. The female is again receptive immediately after producing her litter. The young, one to eight (average six) are born blind, deaf, hairless and helpless. At day six they hold fast to the mothers teats and may be dragged about.
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Close up of a southern red-backed vole
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By day 11 they wash their faces and totter around. Their eyes open between day 9 and 15, and they begin to run about. They are weaned around 21 days and are on their own thereafter. The spring juvenile females produce their first litter when about four months old.
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A red-backed vole looking out for danger
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