Vole

Vole, small rodent confined mostly to the eastern hemisphere. However, several species occur in the United States. The most common American vole is the field, or meadow, mouse; the northern red-backed mouse is found in Alaska and northern Eurasia. The water vole is found in Europe and Asia.

Scientific classification: Voles belong to the family Muridae. The field mouse is classified as Microtus pennsylvanicus, the northern red-backed mouse as Clethrionomys rutilus, and the water vole as Arvicola terrestris.