This open grassland species is most often found in old fields, orchards, and low, moist areas near streams and rivers. It was not taken in the park until December 1965, when the Linzey's recorded a juvenile female in a marshy field along the Oconaluftee River. Female meadow voles are prolific breeders and may be able to breed when approximately 25 days old. One female in captivity is known to have produced 17 litters in one year. Most meadow voles live only three to six months, although there are some records of wild individuals living for 18 months. Meadow voles are active at all hours during all seasons.

Species Measurements:
- Adult Total Length: 125-190 mm (5-7 1/5 in.)
- Tail: 38-63 mm (1 2/5-2 3/5 in.)
- Hind Foot: 19-24 mm (?-1 in.)
- Weight: 28-70 g (1-2? oz.)

Physical Characteristics:
Meadow voles are dark brown to brownish-gray with silvery-gray underparts. The small ears are partially hidden in the fur. The short tail is usually less than half as long as the head and body combined. The eyes are small and black.

Habitat:
This open grassland species is most often found in old fields, orchards, and low, moist areas near streams and rivers.

Reproduction:
Female meadow voles are prolific breeders with a gestation period of 3 weeks and a two-week nursing period until weaning. Litters of three to five young may be born during any month. The young are blind, hairless, and helpless but develop rapidly. Females may be able to breed when approximately 25 days old. One female in captivity is known to have produced 17 litters in one year.

Longevity:
Most meadow voles live only three to six months, although there are some records of wild individuals living for 18 months.

Terrestrial Ecology:
Meadow voles are active at all hours during all seasons. They tend to be solitary during the breeding season and communal during the winter nonbreeding season (Tamarin, 1999). Home ranges vary seasonally from 0.2 to 2 ha (Whitaker and Hamilton, 1998).

Feeding Habits:
Meadow voles feed on the seeds and leafy parts of a wide variety of grasses and sedges as well as the tender bark of trees, fleshy rootstocks, and occasionally insects. The stomach of the Smokemont specimen contained finely chewed vegetation (volume-100%) and pebbles (trace) (Linzey and Linzey, 1973). Meadow voles are known to ingest fecal pellets (coprophagy), in order to increase the efficiency of the digestive system.

Predators and Defense:
Snakes, hawks, owls, weasels, foxes, and other carnivorous mammals prey on meadow voles.

Parasites:
No records from the park.

The meadow vole is a northern species and ranges throughout most of Alaska, Canada, and the northern conterminous United States. The range extends southeastward through Utah, New Mexico, northern Missouri, Kentucky, and eastern Tennessee to northern Georgia, South Carolina, and the westcentral coast of Florida.

This species was not taken in the park until December 1965, when the Linzey's recorded a juvenile female in a marshy field along the Oconaluftee River, 0.5 mile northwest of the Smokemont Campground at an elevation of 2,200 feet (Linzey and Linzey, 1967).

References:

Linzey, A.V., and D.W. Linzey. 1967. Microtus pennsylvanicus in North Carolina and Tennessee. Journal of Mammalogy 48(2): 310.

Linzey, A.V. and D.W. Linzey. 1973. Notes on Food of Small Mammals from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee-North Carolina. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 89 (1 and 2): 6-14.

Linzey, D. W. 1995a. Mammals of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, Inc., Blacksburg, Virginia.

Linzey, D. W. 1995b. Mammals of Great Smoky Mountains National Park-1995 Update. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 111(1): 1-81.

Linzey, D. W. 1998. The Mammals of Virginia. The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, Inc., Blacksburg, Virginia.

Reich, L.M. 1981. Microtus pennsylvanicus. Mammalian Species No. 159: 1-8. American Society of Mammalogists.

Tamarin, R.H. 1999. Meadow Vole. Pages 641-642. In: D.E. Wilson, and S. Ruff (eds.). The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.

Whitaker, J.O., Jr. and W.J. Hamilton Jr. 1998. Mammals of the Eastern United States. Ithaca, New York: Comstock Publishing Associates.