Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39802484›Full record

ArticleJournal of ethology2025

Vole hunting: novel predatory and carnivorous behavior by California ground squirrels.

Jennifer E Smith, Joey E Ingbretson, Mackenzie M Miner, Ella C Oestreicher, Mari L Podas, Tia A Ravara, Lupin M L Teles, Jada C Wahl, Lucy M Todd, Sonja Wild

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of ethology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Killing behaviors in rodents: from predation to infanticide.Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience · 2026
    Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Jennifer E SmithDepartment of Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701 USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3342-4454
Joey E IngbretsonDepartment of Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701 USA.
Mackenzie M MinerDepartment of Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701 USA.
Ella C OestreicherDepartment of Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701 USA.
Mari L PodasDepartment of Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701 USA.
Tia A RavaraDepartment of Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701 USA.
Lupin M L TelesDepartment of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA.
Jada C WahlDepartment of Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701 USA.
Lucy M ToddDepartment of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA.
Sonja WildDepartment of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA.ORCID 0000-0002-5904-0096

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Dietary flexibility allows animals to respond adaptively to food pulses in the environment. Here we document the novel emergence of widespread hunting of California voles and carnivorous feeding behavior by California ground squirrels. Over two months in the twelfth year of a long-term study on the squirrel population, we document 74 events of juvenile and adult ground squirrels of both sexes depredating, consuming, and/or competing over vole prey. Our video footage, photographic evidence, and direct observations of marked individual squirrels provide insights into the ecological circumstances favoring behavioral flexibility in foraging associated with a decadal peak in vole abundance. Digital video images related to the article are available at http://www.momo-p.com/showdetail-e.php?movieid=momo241126ob01a. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10164-024-00832-6.

Indexed as

Hunting behaviorPredator–prey interactionSciuridae

Identifiers

PMID39802484
PMCPMC11717845

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.