Foraging Behavior and Home Range Utilization of the Bannertial Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys Spectabilis)

Radiotracking and live—trapping techniques were used to determine the movement patterns of Dipodomys spectabilis in central New Mexico, USA. In contrast with the live—trapping results which suggest extensive home range overlap, 133 h of radiotracking over a 2—yr period revealed that most individuals exclude other bannertails from a circular home range of approximately 0.05 ha with a centrally located burrow. Home range size remained relatively constant during the warmer months. The extent and intensity of activity varied greatly among rats, and although the contents of food caches changed qualitatively during the year, no seasonal foraging pattern was evident. The average bannertail spent 58% of the night hours inside or on the mound and less than 22% of the time more than 6 m from the mound. There was no evidence that moonlight affected activity. Foraging is an efficient process, perhaps accomplished concurrently with other activities. The tendency of this species to store large quantities of seed heads collected at an optimal stage of development from a feeding territory suggests that the bannertial may manage its food resources to an extent seen in few other rodent species.