Merriam's chipmunk (Neotamias merriami ) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. Merriam's chipmunks are small ground dwelling rodents. They have a gray to brown fur, with dark stripes. Their bellies and cheeks are white in color. These chipmunks have long bushy tails that are usually dull white on the edge. Merriam's chipmunks occur in habitats that have trees, shrubs, logs, stumps, snags, rocks, and litter. An important factor is understory brush that they use for foraging. These animals inhabit chaparral, oak and pine forests, thickets by streams, and are often found around rock outcroppings.
They also inhibit a wide variety of habitats if there are no competing species, such as black bears, mule deer, wild pigs, deer mice, kangaroo rats, and woodrats. When mating, females attract males by calling to them. The duration of the female call is ten to fifteen minutes. A male will hear the call and respond to it by running to and jumping around the female. The female then squats down, and the male performs 12-24 thrusts. The entire process of mating lasts about fifteen seconds.
