The white-tailed antelope squirrel is the smallest species of ground squirrel in Oregon. Although rather cryptically colored, it is marked distinctively: the grayish-brown dorsum and sides are separated by a white stripe on each side. The stripes are tapered at both ends and extend from behind the ear to near the base of the tail. A white line encircles each eye, the underside of the tail is white grading to grayish near the tip and the venter is white.

In Oregon, it occurs south and east of a line connecting Vale, Malheur County; Harney Lake, Harney County and Paisley, Lake County.

The white-tailed antelope squirrel is active at all seasons. It does not hibernate. When active above ground, these squirrels move from one shady spot to the next extremely rapidly with the tail held over the back as a sunshade.

Photo by J. N. Stuart. Flickr