Editing Richardson's ground squirrel (section)

==Behavior==
[[Image:Richardson's-Ferocity-Szmurlo.jpg|thumb|Exhibiting territorial behavior]]
Richardson's ground squirrels appear to live communally, but they organize their social structure around female kinship. A female Richardson's ground squirrel will tolerate the presence of closely related females, but are territorial towards other individuals.<ref name=social>{{cite web|title=Social Organization|url=http://people.uleth.ca/~michener/social_organization.htm|publisher=[[University of Lethbridge]]|access-date=August 8, 2010}}</ref>  Individuals are territorial around their nest sites. The burrows of Richardson's ground squirrels are grouped closely together in colonies, and individuals give audible [[alarm call]]s when possible predators approach. Recent research has shown that in some cases, [[Ultrasound|ultrasonic]] alarm calls are given, and are responded to by other members of the colony. Richardson's ground squirrels use two audible alarm calls, a high-pitched whistle and a 'chirp' call. The whistle is given in response to terrestrial predators, while the chirp is given in response to aerial predators such as hawks.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1111/j.1439-0310.1984.tb01362.x | volume=66 | title=Alarm Calling in Richardson's Ground Squirrels (Spermophilus richardsonii) | year=2010 | journal=Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie | pages=152–164 | last1 = Davis | first1 = Lloyd S.| issue=2 }}</ref>

Predators include [[hawk]]s, [[owl]]s, [[snake]]s, [[weasel]]s, [[American badger|American badgers]] and [[coyote]]s.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Whitaker |first=John O. |title=National Audubon Society field guide to North American mammals |date=1996 |publisher=Knopf : Distributed by Random House |others=National Audubon Society |isbn=978-0-679-44631-6 |edition=Rev. ed., 2nd ed., fully rev |location=New York}}</ref>

[[File:Richardson's ground squirrel.jpg|thumb|left|Eating a [[dandelion]]]]

===Feeding===
These animals are [[omnivore]]s, eating seeds, nuts, grains, grasses and insects (especially crickets, caterpillars and grasshoppers).<ref name=ADW/><ref name=":1" /> They stuff their cheek pouches with seeds, which are stored in the burrow and likely eaten in spring. They are also reported to cannibalize ground squirrels killed by road traffic.<ref name=":0" />

===Hibernation===
Adult ground squirrels may hibernate as early as July, though in their first year, the young ground squirrels do not hibernate until September. The males emerge from hibernation in March, and establish [[territory (animal)|territories]] before the females emerge a couple of weeks later. Abandoned burrows are sometimes taken over by other grassland species such as the [[burrowing owl]].

===Reproduction===
Female Richardson's ground squirrels produce one litter per year. Litter size averages 6, though the maximum size recorded is 14. The young are born in April or May.<ref name=litters>{{cite web|title=Litter Size|url=http://people.uleth.ca/~michener/litter_size.htm|publisher=[[University of Lethbridge]]|access-date=August 8, 2010}}</ref>  Young ground squirrels remain underground in the [[burrow]] until they are approximately 30 days old, emerging from natal burrows late May to mid-June. At emergence, the young weigh 50 to 100 grams.