Urocitellus armatus
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%
The Uinta ground squirrel (Urocitellus armatus), commonly called a "chisler" and Potgut in northern Utah, is a species of rodent native to the western United States. The Uinta ground squirrel is a moderately sized ground squirrel, measuring 28 to 30 cm (11 to 12 in) in total length. They weigh about 210 g (7.4 oz) when they emerge from hibernation, a figure that steadily increases until they are ready to hibernate again in the fall. Their fur is brown to cinnamon in color, being paler on the underside and grey on the sides of the head and neck. The 6 to 8 cm (2.4 to 3.1 in) tail is buff with a grey underside, as distinct from the ochraceous or reddish color found in closely related species such as Belding's or Wyoming ground squirrels. Females have ten teats.
First described from the Uinta Mountains, the squirrels are found in Wyoming west of the Green River, in southwestern Montana, eastern Idaho, and northern and central Utah. They inhabit open areas, such as meadows, pasture, and shrub-steppe habitats, at elevations between 1,220 and 2,440 m (4,000 and 8,010 ft). There are no recognised subspecies.
Uinta ground squirrels... Wikipedia →
Recording0:06
United States · 2021
© Jamee Moulton · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:07
United States · 2024
© Kal Breeden · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:15
United States · 2024
© leilajoe · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Teton National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Yellowstone National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center | 🇺🇸 United States |
Likely
About 50% of wildlife watchers report an Uinta Ground Squirrel sighting in Yellowstone National Park on a given day, based on 729 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 7th most-seen of the 32 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April to July
In those months about 60% of wildlife watchers report an Uinta Ground Squirrel in Yellowstone National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September–October and December–March, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Uinta Ground Squirrel sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Uinta Ground Squirrel sightings, Yellowstone National Park ranks 2nd at about 50%. The best odds are in Grand Teton National Park (United States, about 60%).
Same family: Sciuridae
The closest relatives of the Uinta Ground Squirrel that you can see in Yellowstone National Park (family Sciuridae, Squirrels) are Yellow-bellied Marmot (about 50%), Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (about 40%) and American Red Squirrel (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Uinta Ground Squirrel is recorded against all the mammals logged in Yellowstone National Park (729 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
