NationMaster - Encyclopedia: American Pika

The American Pika (Ochotona princeps) is a diurnal species of pika that is found in the mountains of western North America, usually in boulder fields at or above tree line. They are flower-gathering animals, which are the smallest of the rabbit group.^[3] A diurnal animal (dÄ«-ÅrnÉ™l) is an animal that is active during the daytime and sleeps during the night. ... Type Species Ochotona minor Link, 1795 (= Lepus dauuricus Pallas, 1776) Species See text The name pika (archaically spelled pica) is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae (rabbits and hares). ... North American redirects here. ... In this view of an alpine tree-line, the distant line looks particularly sharp. ... For other uses, see Rabbit (disambiguation). ...

Description

The American Pika has a small, round, egg-shaped body, which is covered with brown fur. They have large and round ears, and no visible tail. Their body length ranges from 162 to 216 millimeters (6-8 inches). Their hind feet range from 25 to 35 mm (1-1½ in).^[4] They usually weigh about 170 grams (6 ounces).^[5] A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter), symbol mm is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, â€³ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... BIC pen cap, about 1 gram. ... This article is about Ounce (unit of mass). ...

Distribution and habitat

The American Pika can be found throughout western North America, spanning from central British Columbia in Canada to the US states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California and New Mexico.^[5] North American redirects here. ... Motto: Splendor sine occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English (de facto) Government Lieutenant-Governor Steven Point Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament House seats 36 Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area Ranked 5th Total 944... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... For the capital city of the United States, see Washington, D.C.. For other uses, see Washington (disambiguation). ... -1... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Official language(s) English Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Area Ranked 10th - Total 97,818 sq mi (253,348 kmÂ²) - Width 280 miles (450 km) - Length 360 miles (580 km) - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English Demonym Coloradan Capital Denver Largest city Denver Largest metro area Denver-Aurora Metro Area Area Ranked 8th in the US - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 kmÂ²) - Width 280 miles (451 km) - Length 380 miles (612 km) - % water 0. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Nevada. ... This article is about the U.S state. ... For other uses, see New Mexico (disambiguation). ...

They generally reside in mountainous, rocky areas, within elevations of 2,400-4,000 meters (8,000-13,000 feet), or above the tree line. They make their homes in the cracks between piles of rocks. Although they live in groups, American Pikas are territorial and will guard their area from others. The metre, or meter (symbol: m) is the SI base unit of length. ... In this view of an alpine tree-line, the distant line looks particularly sharp. ...

Behavior

The American Pika is diurnal, or active throughout the day. They devote most of the day to searching for food, guarding their territory, and watching for predators, which includes: eagles, hawks, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, and weasels. A diurnal animal (dÄ«-ÅrnÉ™l) is an animal that is active during the daytime and sleeps during the night. ... Genera Several, see text. ... For other uses, see Hawk (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Coyote (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Bobcat (disambiguation). ... This article is about the animal. ... For other uses, see Weasel (disambiguation). ...

As the pika is a vocal animal, they can use both calls and songs to communicate among themselves. A call is used to warn when a predator is lurking near, and a song is during the breeding season (males only), and during autumn (both males and females).^[5] The estrous cycle (also oestrous cycle; originally derived from Latin oestrus) comprises the recurring physiologic changes that are induced by reproductive hormones in most mammalian placental females. ...

Diet

The American pika is a flower-gathering herbivore. They will eat a large variety of green plants, including different kinds of grasses, sedges, thistles and fireweed. When they find food, they will eat a portion of it and take the rest for safekeeping in a pile, for use during the winter season.^[5] Image File history File links Ochotona_princeps. ... Image File history File links Ochotona_princeps. ... This article is about protective camouflage used to disguise people, animals, or military targets. ... This article is about the mountain range in the Western United States. ... A deer and two fawns feeding on some foliage A herbivore is often defined as any organism that eats only plants[1]. By that definition, many fungi, some bacteria, many animals, about 1% of flowering plants and some protists can be considered herbivores. ... For other uses, see Grass (disambiguation). ... Genera See text The Family Cyperaceae, or the Sedge family, is a taxon of monocot flowering plants that superficially resemble grasses or rushes. ... Milk thistle flowerhead Thistledown a method of seed dispersal by wind. ... Binomial name Epilobium angustifolium L. For the tropical plant, see Crassocephalum. ...

This pika will move the pile around in order to protect it from various kinds of weather. After it has dried, the pika will then move it into its den. During the summer season, pikas feed on short alpine grasses, and on their stored food during the winter. If their food supplies are low during the winter, they will search either for lichens or cushion plants, which can be accessible by their underground tunnels. For other uses, see Lichen (disambiguation). ...

Conservation and decline

The American Pika was placed on the IUCN Red List at a risk of Least Concern.^[2] The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... Least Concern (LC) is an IUCN category assigned to extant species or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. ...

Recent studies suggest that species populations are declining due to various factors, most notably Global Warming.^[6] A 2003 study, published in the Journal of Mammology, showed that 9 out of 25 sampled populations of American Pika had disappeared, causing biologists to conclude that the species is reaching extinction.^[7] Global warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the Earths near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation. ...

As they live in the high and cooler mountain regions, they are very sensitive to high temperatures, and are considered to be one of the best early warning systems for detecting global warming in the western United States.^[8] Because their regular habitat's temperature rises, the American Pikas move higher up the mountain.^[6] Scientists report that pikas can die within an hour if the outside temperature reaches above 23°C (75°F).^[6] For other uses, see Celsius (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Fahrenheit (disambiguation). ...

References

Image File history File links Wikispecies-logo. ... Wikispecies is a wiki-based online project supported by the Wikimedia Foundation that aims to create a comprehensive free content catalogue of all species (including animalia, plantae, fungi, bacteria, archaea, and protista). ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 77th day of the year (78th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... World News with Charles Gibson (previously known as World News Tonight and often abbreviated as WNT) is an American television news program. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Guardian. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Families Leporidae Ochotonidae Prolagidae (extinct) The Lagomorphs, order Lagomorpha, are an order of mammals of which there are two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). ... Type Species Ochotona minor Link, 1795 (= Lepus dauuricus Pallas, 1776) Species See text The name pika (archaically spelled pica) is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae (rabbits and hares). ... Type Species Ochotona minor Link, 1795 (= Lepus dauuricus Pallas, 1776) Species See text The name pika (archaically spelled pica) is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae (rabbits and hares). ... Binomial name Howell, 1928 Synonyms Ochotona helanshanensis Zheng, 1987 (found in Wang 1990) Ochotona pallasi ssp. ... The collared pika is small (~160 gram) alpine lagomorph that lives in boulderfields in northern British Columbia, Yukon, Alaska, and western Northwest territiories. ... Binomial name Ochotona hyperborea Pallas, 1811 The Northern Pika, Ochotona hyperborea, is a species of pika found across northern Asia, from the Ural Mountains to northern Japan and south through Mongolia, Manchuria, and northern Korea. ... Binomial name Thomas, 1923 The Forrests Pika (Ochotona forresti) is a species of mammal in the Ochotonidae family. ... Binomial name (Buchner, 1894) The Koslovs Pika or Kozlovs Pika (Ochotona koslowi) is a species of mammal in the Ochotonidae family. ... Genera Pentalagus Bunolagus Nesolagus Romerolagus Brachylagus Sylvilagus Oryctolagus Poelagus Caprolagus Pronolagus Lepus Leporids are the approximately 50 species of rabbits and hares which form the family Leporidae. ... For other uses, see Rabbit (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Pentalagus furnessi (Stone, 1900) The Amami Rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi), or Amami no Kuro Usagi (å¥„ç¾Žã®é»’å…”/ã‚¢ãƒžãƒŸãƒŽã‚¯ãƒã‚¦ã‚µã‚®), also known as the Ryukyu Rabbit, is a primitive dark-furred rabbit which is only found in Amami Oshima and Toku-no-Shima, two small islands between southern Kyushu and Okinawa in Kagoshima Prefecture... Binomial name Pentalagus furnessi (Stone, 1900) The Amami Rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi), or Amami no Kuro Usagi (å¥„ç¾Žã®é»’å…”/ã‚¢ãƒžãƒŸãƒŽã‚¯ãƒã‚¦ã‚µã‚®), also known as the Ryukyu Rabbit, is a primitive dark-furred rabbit which is only found in Amami Oshima and Toku-no-Shima, two small islands between southern Kyushu and Okinawa in Kagoshima Prefecture... Binomial name Bunolagus monticularis (Thomas, 1903) The Riverine Rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis), also known as the Bushman Rabbit or Bushman Hare is a species of rabbit and one of the rarest mammals in the world. ... Binomial name Bunolagus monticularis (Thomas, 1903) The Riverine Rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis), also known as the Bushman Rabbit or Bushman Hare is a species of rabbit and one of the rarest mammals in the world. ... Binomial name (Schlegel, 1880) The Sumatran Striped Rabbit (Nesolagus netscheri), also known as the Sumatra Short-eared Rabbit or Sumatran Rabbit, is a rabbit found only in forest in the Barisan Mountains in western Sumatra, Indonesia. ... Binomial name Nesolagus timminsi (Averianov, Abramov, & Tikhonov, 2000 ) The Annamite Striped Rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi) is a species of rabbit native to the Annamite mountain range on the Laos-Vietnam border. ... Binomial name Romerolagus diazi (Ferrari-PÃ©rez, 1893) The Volcano Rabbit (Romerolagus diazi) is a small rabbit that resides in the mountains of Mexico. ... Binomial name Romerolagus diazi (Ferrari-PÃ©rez, 1893) The Volcano Rabbit (Romerolagus diazi) is a small rabbit that resides in the mountains of Mexico. ... Binomial name Brachylagus idahoensis (Merriam, 1891) The Pygmy Rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis is a North American rabbit, and is one of only two rabbit species in America to dig its own burrow. ... Binomial name Brachylagus idahoensis (Merriam, 1891) The Pygmy Rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis is a North American rabbit, and is one of only two rabbit species in America to dig its own burrow. ... Type species Lepus sylvaticus Bachman, 1837 (=Lepus sylvaticus floridanus J. Allen, 1890) Species 16, see text The cottontail rabbits are the 16 lagomorph species in the genus Sylvilagus, found in the Americas. ... Binomial name Sylvilagus aquaticus (Bachman, 1837) The Swamp Rabbit (Sylvilagus aquaticus) is a large cottontail rabbit found in the swamps and wetlands of the Southern United States. ... Binomial name Sylvilagus brasiliensis (Linnaeus, 1758) The Tapeti (Sylvilagus brasiliensis), also known as the Brazilian Rabbit or Forest Rabbit, is a cottontail rabbit species found in Central and South America. ... Binomial name Harris, 1932 The Dices Cottontail (Sylvilagus dicei) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Sylvilagus insonus (Nelson, 1904) The Omilteme Cottontail or Omiltemi Rabbit (Sylvilagus insonus) is a cottontail rabbit found only in Sierra Madre del Sur in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, although it hasnt be recorded since the early 1960s. ... Binomial name (Bachman, 1837) The Marsh Rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris) is a cottontail rabbit found in the swamps and wetlands of the Southern United States. ... Binomial name Sylvilagus audubonii (Baird, 1858) The Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. ... nestor This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Binomial name (J. A. Allen, 1890) The Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. ... Binomial name (J.A. Allen, 1877) The Tres Marias Cottontail or Tres Marias Rabbit (Sylvilagus graysoni) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name (Bachman, 1837) The Mountain Cottontail or Nuttalls Cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttallii) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Chapman, Cramer, Dippenaar, & Robinson, 1992 The Appalachian Cottontail (Sylvilagus obscurus) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name (Waterhouse, 1839) The Brush Rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani), or Western Brush Rabbit, is a species of cottontail rabbit found in western coastal regions of North America, from the Columbia River in Oregon to the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. ... Binomial name Nelson, 1907 The San Jose Brush Rabbit (Sylvilagus mansuetus) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Range map The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a species of rabbit native to southern Europe. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Range map The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a species of rabbit native to southern Europe. ... Binomial name Caprolagus hispidus (Pearson, 1839) The Hispid Hare, Caprolagus hispidus, is a leporid native to the foothills of the Himalaya. ... Binomial name Caprolagus hispidus (Pearson, 1839) The Hispid Hare, Caprolagus hispidus, is a leporid native to the foothills of the Himalaya. ... For other uses, see Hare (disambiguation). ... // Geographic Range The antelope jackrabbit is found primarily in the southwest United States and is most densely populated in the state of Arizona. ... Binomial name Lepus americanus Erxleben, 1777 The Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus) is a species of hare found in North America. ... Binomial name Lepus timidus Linnaeus, 1758 The Mountain Hare (Lepus timidus) is a hare, which is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats. ... Binomial name Merriam, 1900 The Alaskan Hare (Lepus othus) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Lepus timidus Linnaeus, 1758 The Mountain Hare (Lepus timidus) is a hare, which is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats. ... Binomial name Lepus californicus Gray, 1837 The Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), aso known as the Desert Hare, is a common hare of the western United States and Mexico, found at elevations from sea level to up to 3000 m. ... ... Binomial name Lepus capensis L., 1758 The Cape, Common or Brown Hare (Lepus capensis) is a hare natively found throughout Africa, and has spread to many parts of the Europe, Middle East and Asia, and was introduced to Australia. ... [[{{{diversity_link}}}|Diversity]] {{{diversity}}} Binomial name Lepus flavigularis Trinomial name {{{trinomial}}} Type Species {{{type_species}}} {{{subdivision_ranks}}} [[Image:{{{range_map}}}|{{{range_map_width}}}|]] Synonyms {{{synonyms}}} The Tehuantepec jackrabbit (Lepus flavigularis) is easily distinguished from other species of jackrabbits by two black stripes that run from the base of the ears to the nape, and by their... Binomial name W. Bryant, 1891 The Black Jackrabbit (Lepus insularis) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... The Scrub Hare, lepus saxatilis, is a species of hare found in South Africa, parts of central Africa, and Namibia. ... Binomial name Palacios, 1976 The Broom Hare (Lepus castroviejoi) is a species of hare endemic to northern Spain. ... Binomial name Allen, 1927 The Yunnan Hare (Lepus comus) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Lepus coreanus Thomas, 1892 The Korean Hare (Lepus coreanus) is a species of hare found in Korea and northeastern China. ... Binomial name Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778 The European Hare or Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) is a species of hare native to northern, central, and western Europe and western Asia. ... Binomial name Lepus granatensis Rosenhauer, 1856 The Granada Hare (Lepus granatensis), also known as the Iberian Hare, is a hare species that can be found on the Iberian peninsula and on the island of Mallorca. ... Binomial name Lepus mandschuricus Radde, 1861 The Manchurian Hare (Lepus mandschuricus) is a species of hare found in northeastern China, the Amur River basin, and in the higher mountains of northern Korea. ... Binomial name Hodgson, 1840 The Woolly Hare (Lepus oiostolus) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Petter, 1963 The Ethiopian Highland Hare (Lepus starcki) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Lepus townsendii Bachman, 1839 The White-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii), also known as the Prairie Hare and the White Jack, is a hare found in western North America. ... Binomial name Thomas, 1903 The Ethiopian Hare (Lepus fagani) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Heuglin,1865 Synonyms Lepus victoriae Thomas, 1893 The African Savanna Hare (Lepus microtis) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Lepus hainanus Swinhoe, 1870 Hainan hare (Lepus hainanus) is a species of hare endemic to Hainan Island, China. ... Binomial name Lepus nigricollis F. Cuvier, 1823 The Indian Hare (Lepus nigricollis), also known as the Black-naped Hare, is a common species of hare found in South Asia. ... Binomial name Blyth, 1855 The Burmese Hare (Lepus peguensis) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Gray, 1832 The Chinese Hare (Lepus sinensis) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name GÃ¼nther, 1875 The Yarkand or Yarkland Hare (Lepus yarkandensis) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Incertae sedis—of uncertain position (seat)—is a term used to define a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. ... // Geographic Range The Japanese Hare is found on the continent of Asia. ... Binomial name Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1832 The Abyssinian Hare (Lepus habessinicus) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ...

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