Behavior of Red Tree Voles (Arborimus longicaudus) Based on Continuous Video Monitoring of Nests

Abstract We used video cameras to observe the activity patterns and behavior of three female red tree voles (Arborimus longicaudus) and their young in arboreal nests in western Oregon. Observation periods at the three nests were 63, 103 and 148 days. All three voles were primarily nocturnal, but occasionally foraged for brief periods during the day when they had large young in the nest. The median time when voles began and ended activity was 95 min after sunset and 168 min before sunrise, respectively. The median amount of time spent outside the nest at night was 27 min (range = 0–712 min), and most of this time was spent foraging. Nocturnal activity consisted primarily of long periods inside the nest interspersed with short periods of intensive foraging, during which voles ran out of the nest, harvested cuttings and hauled them back to the nest. Cuttings were stored inside the nest or on top of the nest. The mean number of foraging bouts per night was 3.4 ± 0.1 (range = 1–13), and the mean number of cutt...