Animals That Look Like Groundhogs Around North America

When a stout brown animal stands beside a burrow, it’s easy to think of a groundhog. Start with its tail and ears, then look at the color of its nose and coat. A yellow belly, a white patch above the nose, or a particularly small body can point you toward a different animal. Work through other North American marmots first, then compare prairie dogs and ground squirrels. The notes include habitat and range because the same silhouette means something different on an alpine rock pile, on the southern Plains, or in an eastern yard. If the animal went into a stream or pond, the tail can also separate a groundhog from the larger or more slender rodents that spend more time in water.