Sonoma chipmunk

The Sonoma chipmunk (Neotamias sonomae) is a small rodent of the squirrel family Sciuridae that lives only in northwestern California, north of San Francisco Bay, mostly in Sonoma and Marin counties. It occupies forest and chaparral from sea level up to about 1,800 metres, including stands of redwood, Douglas fir, ponderosa pine and black oak, and it is more often associated with conifer forest than with open scrub. It is a ground dweller that digs burrows, though it climbs well and may nest in trees. Its coat carries five dark stripes alternating with paler ones on a tawny to grey body, and two subspecies are recognised, the smaller and darker alleni and the nominate sonomae. It is diurnal, forages for seeds, fruit, buds, insects and bird eggs, stores food in cheek pouches and in its burrow, and uses high-pitched alarm calls, chiefly given by females. Litters of three to five young are born once a year.