Are There Voles in Maryland?
Yes, voles are present throughout Maryland in grasslands, forests, and wetlands. These small rodents live year-round across the state, from the western mountains near the Appalachian region to the eastern marshes around the Chesapeake Bay. Voles are an important food source for raptors, weasels, and snakes throughout Maryland.
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
- 1,864
- GBIF records
Yes, voles are in Maryland. Next you'll want:
Yes, voles are present throughout Maryland in grasslands, forests, and wetlands. These small rodents live year-round across the state, from the western mountains near the Appalachian region to the eastern marshes around the Chesapeake Bay. Voles are an important food source for raptors, weasels, and snakes throughout Maryland.
Where Voles Are Found in Maryland
Voles are widespread throughout Maryland, inhabiting diverse habitats from the Allegheny Mountains in the west to the Chesapeake Bay region in the east. The western mountains around Cumberland and Garrett County support healthy vole populations in forest meadows and higher elevation grasslands. Central Maryland's Piedmont region contains vole populations in open fields, agricultural areas, and forest edges. The Catoctin Mountains and surrounding foothills provide excellent vole habitat. Eastern Maryland's wetland margins, particularly around the Nanticoke River and Choptank River areas, support voles in reed-dominated marshes and adjacent grasslands. The Chesapeake Bay's western shoreline contains vole populations in tidal marshes and upland meadows. Voles also inhabit suburban yards and gardens with appropriate vegetation. They are year-round residents throughout Maryland, remaining active beneath snow and leaf litter during winter. To learn more aboutMaryland's native wildlife, explore guides for other animals sharing these habitats. The detailedvole guideprovides more state-specific information.
Season and Activity Patterns
Voles remain active year-round in Maryland, unlike many other small mammals that migrate or hibernate. They are most abundant in late summer and fall following peak breeding season. Female voles produce multiple litters from March through October, leading to population increases in autumn. During Maryland's moderate winters, voles remain active beneath the snowpack and leaf litter, feeding on stored vegetation and roots. Spring reveals the runway patterns and grass damage voles caused during winter months. Activity peaks again in summer when fresh vegetation is abundant and breeding intensifies. Voles are primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, meaning they are most active during twilight hours and throughout the night. Their population numbers follow a cyclical pattern, with roughly three to four year cycles of abundance and decline. This pattern is typical for vole populations across much of eastern North America. Maryland's relatively mild climate compared to northern states allows voles to remain more continuously active throughout the year.
Identifying Voles
Maryland voles are small rodents, typically four to five inches in total body length. They have stocky, compact bodies with rounded heads and small ears that are largely hidden by fur. Their eyes are very small and dark. Fur color ranges from dark brown to grayish-brown, depending on the vole species. Meadow voles, the most common species in Maryland, have slightly longer tails relative to body size. Woodland voles and pine voles also occur in Maryland and have shorter tails and smaller eyes. Both species have distinctive runway patterns visible in grass and soil. Voles lack the pointed snouts characteristic of shrews and are larger than mice but have proportionally shorter tails. Their teeth continuously grow and appear orange-tinted at the edges. Males and females look identical in appearance. Young voles resemble miniature adults with slightly duller coloring. These identifying features distinguish voles from similar small mammals found in Maryland.
Where Voles Concentrate in Maryland
Voles concentrate heavily in open grasslands, meadows, and old field habitats throughout Maryland. The extensive grass fields in Carroll County and Frederick County support large vole populations. Hay fields and pastures used for livestock, particularly in Washington County and Allegany County, provide ideal vole habitat. Wetland margins along Maryland's many streams, including the Potomac River tributaries and Monocacy River areas, host significant vole populations. Forest clearings and areas with dense ground-level vegetation attract high vole densities. Roadsides with tall unmowed grass provide travel corridors connecting larger habitat patches. Meadows in state parks and wildlife management areas, including Patuxent Research Refuge and other state-owned lands, support thriving vole areas. Power line rights-of-way and railroad corridors often have high vole populations due to ongoing vegetation management. Yards and gardens with dense plant cover also harbor voles. These concentrated areas provide prime hunting grounds for owls, hawks, and other predators. Visit theMaryland wildlife pagefor more information about where to find various state animals.
Vole Behavior and Diet
Voles are herbivorous rodents that feed primarily on grasses and other vegetation. They consume clover, seeds, roots, and bulbs throughout the year. In winter, voles strip bark from young trees and shrubs, sometimes causing significant damage to saplings and ornamental plantings. They create and maintain extensive runway systems through grass and leaf litter, forming highways they travel repeatedly while foraging. Voles are social animals living in loose colonies with flexible hierarchies. Breeding voles defend small territories around their nesting areas. Young voles mature quickly and disperse to establish new territories, enabling rapid population growth in suitable habitats. Voles construct underground burrow systems with multiple chambers for nesting and food storage, which provide insulation during winter. They communicate through ultrasonic vocalizations and chemical scent marking. Voles are most active during cool parts of the day and during twilight hours, becoming less active during hot summer afternoons. They produce visible droppings along their runway systems.
Coexistence and Safety
Voles are harmless to humans and pose no disease risk to Maryland residents or pets. They are a natural part of Maryland's ecosystem, serving as an essential food source for raptors, weasels, snakes, and other predators. Voles rarely enter homes, though they occasionally cause minor lawn damage with their runway patterns. If voles damage lawns, maintaining longer grass growth and removing excess thatch can deter further activity. Removing dense vegetation or mulch near buildings may encourage voles to relocate to more suitable habitat. Live trapping and relocation are rarely necessary and generally ineffective, as other voles will quickly move into the vacated area. Chemical pesticides are not recommended as they may harm the predators that feed on voles. Voles have no special legal protection in Maryland but are important members of the state's natural ecosystem. Supporting natural vole populations helps sustain theMaryland wildlifearea. Visitthis sitefor more details on coexisting with native Maryland animals and other wildlife found in surrounding states.
Species Often Confused With Voles
Maryland residents sometimes confuse voles with several similar small mammals present in the state. Shrews resemble voles but have distinctly pointed snouts, smaller eyes, and a more aggressive appearance. Shrews also produce a distinctive musky odor when stressed or disturbed. House mice have proportionally larger ears, much longer tails, and more pointed faces than voles. White-footed mice, common in Maryland's woodlands, similarly have larger ears and longer tails than voles. Moles, though sometimes confused with voles due to their fossorial habits, have enlarged front feet adapted for digging and a more cylindrical body shape. Young rats might be mistaken for large voles but have larger ears, naked tails, and different facial structure. The eastern mole, found in some Maryland regions, has a distinctive star-shaped nose that voles never possess. Identifying features like tail length, ear size, snout shape, and body proportions help distinguish these species. Voles have relatively short tails and small ears compared to most similar mammals. Learning these differences helps correctly identify the rodents in your yard. Consult thevole guidefor additional identification photographs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Are voles dangerous to pets? Answer: Voles do not threaten cats or dogs. Pets may hunt voles, which helps control vole populations naturally. Ensure pets remain current on vaccinations and parasite prevention. Question: Will voles damage my garden or landscaping? Answer: Voles occasionally damage young plants by eating vegetation, roots, and bulbs. Physical barriers like fencing can protect valued plants from vole access. Question: How do I know if voles live in my yard? Answer: Look for small runway patterns through grass and along soil surfaces. These visible highways through vegetation are the most obvious sign of active vole populations. Question: Do voles leave an area on their own? Answer: Yes, voles naturally disperse, especially in spring when young voles search for new territories. Reducing dense vegetation and mulch can make your property less attractive to voles. For more questions aboutMaryland wildlife, explore the comprehensive wildlife resources available on this site.
Plan your vole sighting in Maryland
1,864 verified vole records have been logged in Maryland, most recently in 2025. See the GBIF records.
Where to look in Maryland
- Antietam National Battlefield · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Assateague Island National Seashore · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Chesapeake Bay · Wildlife Watching · Find hotels
More places to see vole
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