Are There Voles in Maine?
Yes, voles are common throughout Maine in fields, forests, and meadows. These small rodents live year-round across the state, from coastal areas near Acadia to interior forests. Voles play an important role in Maine's ecosystem as prey for raptors and other predators. Understanding vole habits and habitats helps coexist peacefully with these native animals.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself. Updated July 22, 2026.
California Vole · Cricket Raspet CC BY
Woodland Vole · Violet T. CC BY
Eastern Meadow Vole · rubyheron CC BY-ND
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Yes, voles are in Maine. Next you'll want:
Yes, voles are common throughout Maine in fields, forests, and meadows. These small rodents live year-round across the state, from coastal areas near Acadia to interior forests. Voles play an important role in Maine's ecosystem as prey for raptors and other predators. Understanding vole habits and habitats helps coexist peacefully with these native animals.
Where Voles Are Found in Maine
Voles are widespread throughout Maine and found in nearly all environments. They inhabit the coastal regions around Acadia National Park and spread inland through the state's numerous forests, meadows, and agricultural areas. The Kennebec River valley, Penobscot River region, and Androscoggin River basin all support healthy vole populations. These rodents thrive in the transition zones between forests and open areas, particularly in the extensive grasslands and fields throughout central and eastern Maine. Voles also occupy wetland margins around Maine's many lakes and ponds, including areas near the Moosehead Lake region. They are year-round residents, active throughout Maine's long winters beneath the snowpack. Visit theMaine wildlife pageto learn about other native animals sharing these habitats, and explore thevole guidefor more state-specific information.
Season and Activity Patterns
Voles remain active year-round in Maine, unlike animals that hibernate or migrate. They are most visible during spring and autumn when populations expand after breeding seasons. Females can produce multiple litters between March and October, leading to population peaks in fall. During Maine's harsh winters, voles travel beneath the snowpack in tunnel systems, where they feed on stored vegetation and plant material. Spring reveals the damage voles caused over winter, with visible runway patterns appearing as snow melts. Activity increases dramatically in summer when vegetation is abundant. Voles are primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, meaning they are most active during twilight hours and at night. Population cycles follow a roughly three to four year pattern, with peak years followed by population crashes. This cycle is common throughout Maine and the northern United States.
Identifying Voles
Maine voles are small rodents, typically measuring four to five inches in total length. They have stocky bodies, rounded heads, and small ears that are partially hidden in their fur. Their eyes are small and dark. Coloring ranges from dark brown to gray, depending on the species. Common Maine voles include the meadow vole and woodland vole. Meadow voles have longer tails relative to body size, while woodland voles have shorter tails. Both species have distinctive runway patterns in grass and soil where they travel regularly. Voles lack the pointed snouts of shrews and are larger than mice with proportionally shorter tails. Their teeth are continuously growing, orange-tinted molars visible if you examine one closely. These features distinguish voles from similar rodents found in Maine. Males and females look identical in the field. Young voles resemble smaller adults with slightly duller coloring.
Where Voles Concentrate in Maine
Voles concentrate in open grasslands, meadows, and old field habitats throughout Maine. The extensive blueberry barrens in Washington County and Piscataquis County support large vole populations. Agricultural areas, including hay fields and pastures from Aroostook County to Oxford County, provide ideal vole habitat. Wetland margins around Maine's inland lakes and ponds, particularly in the lake regions of the interior, host considerable vole populations. Forest clearings and areas with dense herbaceous ground cover attract voles. Roadsides with unmowed vegetation provide corridors where voles move between larger habitat patches. Meadows in state parks and wildlife management areas, including various parcels managed by Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, support healthy vole areas. Voles also live in yards and gardens with appropriate vegetation. These concentrated areas are where predators like owls and hawks hunt for food. To explore moreMaine wildlife, including the habitat preferences of other state residents, review detailed guides on this site.
Vole Behavior and Diet
Voles are herbivorous rodents feeding primarily on grasses, clover, and other vegetation. They consume seeds, roots, bulbs, and bark, particularly in winter when fresh vegetation is scarce. Under snow, voles strip bark from young trees and shrubs, sometimes causing notable damage to saplings and ornamental plants. They create and maintain runways through grass and leaf litter, highways where they travel repeatedly to find food and shelter. Voles are social animals living in colonies with loose hierarchies. Breeding voles defend small territories around their nest sites. Young voles mature quickly and disperse to establish new territories, explaining rapid population growth in suitable habitats. Voles construct underground burrow systems with chambers for nesting and food storage. These burrows provide insulation during Maine's cold winters. Voles communicate through ultrasonic vocalizations and scent marking. They are most active during cooler parts of the day and less active during hot summer afternoons.
Coexistence and Safety
Voles are harmless to humans and pose no disease risk to Maine residents. They are a natural part of Maine's ecosystem, playing a critical role as prey for raptors, weasels, snakes, and other predators. Voles rarely enter homes but occasionally damage lawns or gardens with their runway systems. If voles cause lawn damage, allow grass to grow longer and remove excess thatch, as voles prefer dense vegetation cover. Removing preferred food sources nearby may encourage voles to relocate. Live trapping and relocation is rarely necessary and generally ineffective, as neighboring voles will move in. Pesticides are not recommended and may harm predators that feed on voles. Voles have no special legal protection in Maine but are important for maintaining ecosystem balance. Let your lawn grow naturally to support theMaine wildlifearea. This approach benefits both voles and the predators that depend on them for food. For more details on coexisting with Maine wildlife, explore the state-specific guides available onthis site.
Species Often Confused With Voles
Maine residents often confuse voles with several similar small mammals. Shrews look similar but have pointed snouts, smaller eyes, and sharper features. Shrews also produce a distinctive musky odor when stressed. House mice have larger ears, longer tails, and more pointed faces than voles. Wood mice, including white-footed mice common in Maine, also have larger ears and proportionally longer tails. Moles, though sometimes confused with voles, have larger front feet adapted for digging and a cylindrical body shape. Young rats might be mistaken for large voles but have naked tails and larger ears. The star-nosed mole, found in eastern Maine, has a distinctive nose structure never seen on voles. Identifying features like tail length, ear size, and snout shape help distinguish these species. Voles have relatively shorter tails and smaller ears compared to most similar mammals in Maine. Learning these differences helps observers correctly identify rodents in their yards and fields. Visit thevole guidefor more identification details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Are voles dangerous to pets? Answer: Voles do not threaten cats or dogs. Pets may hunt voles naturally, which helps control populations. Ensure pets stay current on vaccinations and parasite prevention as with any wildlife exposure. Question: Do voles cause damage to gardens? Answer: Voles occasionally damage young plants and seedlings by eating vegetation and roots. Physical barriers around plants can prevent vole access. Question: How can I tell if I have voles in my yard? Answer: Look for small runway patterns through grass and along soil surfaces, appearing as tiny highways through vegetation. These runways are the most obvious sign of vole activity. Question: Will voles ever leave my property? Answer: Voles naturally move and disperse, especially in spring when young voles search for new territories. Providing less ideal habitat conditions, such as keeping grass shorter and removing excess mulch, encourages voles to relocate to more suitable areas nearby. For additional questions aboutMaine wildlife, consult the detailed resources available on this site.
Plan your vole sighting in Maine
893 verified vole records have been logged in Maine, most recently in 2026. See the GBIF records.
Where to look in Maine
- Acadia National Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Saint Croix Island International Historic Site · Wildlife Watching · Find hotels
- Frances Perkins National Monument · Find hotels
- Maine Acadian Culture · Find hotels
More places to see vole
More wildlife in Maine