In the animal kingdom, there are many different species. Each species has its own characteristics. A lion is from the cat family. A dolphin is from the cetacean (whale) family. A goldfish is from the fish family. A human being is from the primate (monkey) family.
Chipmunk Vs. Vole
The contrast between a vole and a Chippewa is that Chippewas have a stripe on their tails and are from the Sciuridae family. We can find Chippewas in Canada and the United States. Voles are from the Cricetidae family and are sometimes called “snowshoe rats”. They are also sometimes called “bank vole” or “meadow mouse” in North America.
Chipmunks are North American rodents. They belong to the Sciuridae family. Siberian chipmunks are closely related to a lemming. There are many species in the family of the chipmunk. The Eastern chipmunk is a very small chipmunk and the Least chipmunk is a medium-size one. The Siberian chipmunks are larger than the other species of chipmunks.
A vole is a small rodent from The Cricetidae family. They have several common names, including “meadow mouse” or “field mouse” in North America. They are known as “water voles” in Europe. There are about 124 species, and most of them are in North America.
Comparison Table Between Chipmunk and Vole
| Parameter of Comparison | The Chipmunk | The Vole |
| Meaning | These are small rodents found in Asia, North America. | There are many small rodents in North America and Europe. Voles are a type of rodent found in those areas. |
| Family | Sciuridae family. | Cricetidae family. |
| Looks like | Squirrels. | Mice or Rats. |
| Lifespan | 3 years. | 12 months. |
| Kingdom, Class | Animalia, Mammalian | Animalia, Mammalian. |
| Travel | Tp to a distance of 21 miles in each hour. | 6 miles/hour. |
What is the Chipmunk?
A chipmunk is any of about 30 species of small, bushy-tailed, gray, and brown rodents belonging to the genus Sciurus. They are found throughout the world except for the most arctic regions and the most remote mountain peaks. All are insectivores, eating mostly crickets and other grasshoppers.
The different species of Chipmunks with several features. They’re called Siberian Chipmunks, Least Chipmunks, California Chipmunks, and others. The length of the Chipmunks varies according to their features. The Life cycle of Chipmunks is approximately three years, where Siberian Chipmunks live 6-10 years.
Animals that belong to the Chordata phylum include mammals, fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Chipmunks belong to the mammal family, Rodentia. They are similar to squirrels, which are also known as tree squirrels.
The Siberian Chipmunk is 50 to 150 grams, the other chipmunks are different from the Siberian chipmunk. The gestation period of chipmunks is between 28 to 35 days. The chipmunks can travel up to 21 miles per hour. They like to live in mountains, forests, deserts. They can jump and climb trees. They can swim and they are good at digging holes. Chipmunks spend the winter asleep in dens.
What is Vole?
Voles originate in European and Asian countries. The Cricetidae family has voles. Meadow mice, also known as voles, are rodents that look similar to common vole. They have brown or gray fur, a paler underbelly, small ears, short tails, and a pointed snout. Their scientific name is Microtus arvalis. These little guys can live up to two years in the wild and they eat various grasses, sedges, and mosses.
The vole is a mammal. It belongs to the phylum Chordata. It’s in the kingdom Animalia. It’s in the subphylum Vertebrata. It has a gestation period of 21 to 24 days. Depending on features and structures, some of the names for voles are common voles, California voles, pine voles, and many others.
Difference Between Chipmunk and Vole
The chipmunk is a small striped rodent that originated in North America and Europe, while the vole is a small rodent that originated in European and Asian countries.
Chipmunks and voles are both rodents, but Chipmunks is a squirrel and Voles is a mole. They come from different families but they’re both in the Rodentia class of animals.
The smallest mammal in the world is the Chipmunk, which is a kind of squirrel. However, they don’t look like Squirrels. On the other hand, there is another small mammal that looks exactly like Squirrels, which is called ‘meadow mouse’ or ‘field mouse.
The chipmunk heap usually contains between 50 – 150 grams, while the mass of the vole heap is about 20 – 220 grams.
Chipmunks live 3-10 years, voles only 1-2 years. A Chipmunk’s gestation period is 28-35 days, while a Vole’s gestation period is just 21-24 days.
The maximum speed of a “Chipmunk” is 21 miles per hour, while a “Vole” can travel 6 miles per hour.
Conclusion
Chipmunks have families too. They originate from the Sciuridae family. The length of a chipmunk is different with its features. Their life cycle is nearly three years, where the Siberian chipmunks live 6-10 years.
Lemmings are related to voles, and they are often used as an indicator of the health of the earth. They are sometimes called the “Earth Rat.” Their distinguishing feature is their tendency to run straight down a hill even when there is nothing at the bottom but a cliff. Lemmings are from the Cricetidae family.