The name pika is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae (rabbits and hares). One genus, Ochotona, is recognised within the family, and it includes 30 species. Pikas are also called rock rabbits or coneys. It is also known as the "whistling hare" due to its high-pitched alarm call when diving into its burrow. The pika may look like a hamster, but is actually a cousin of the rabbit. The name "pika" appears to be derived from the Tungus "piika", or perhaps from the Russian "pikat'", to squeak. In the United States the pronunciation of the name is usually altered from to , probably due to the spelling.

Habitat

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Pikas are native to cold climates, mostly in Asia, North America and parts of eastern Europe. Eurasian pikas commonly live in family groups and share duties of gathering food and keeping watch. North American pikas (O. princeps and O. collaris) are asocial.

In the mountains of Eurasia, pikas often share their burrows with snowfinches, which build their nest there.

Activity

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Pikas show their peak activity before the winter season. Pikas do not hibernate, so they rely on collected hay for warm bedding and food. Pikas gather fresh grasses and lay them in stacks to dry. Once the grasses dry out, the pikas take this hay back to the burrows for storage. It is not uncommon for pikas to steal hay from others; the resulting disputes are usually exploited by neighboring predators like ferrets and large birds.

In a January 2006 article in the Journal of Biogeography, archeologist Donald Grayson warned that human activity and global climate change appeared to be pushing the American pika population to ever-higher elevations, and thus possibly toward extinction. Grayson studied pika habitation over the past 40,000 years in the region between the Sierra Nevada (US) and Rocky Mountains. An earlier Journal of Mammalology article reached a similar conclusion.

Species

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• ORDER LAGOMORPHA
  • Family Ochotonidae: pikas
    • Genus Ochotona
      • Subgenus Pika: northern pikas
        • Alpine Pika/Altai Pika, Ochotona alpina
        • Silver Pika, Ochotona argentata
        • Collared Pika, Ochotona collaris
        • Hoffmann's Pika, Ochotona hoffmanni
        • Northern Pika/Siberian Pika, Ochotona hyperborea
        • Pallas's Pika, Ochotona pallasi
        • American Pika, Ochotona princeps
        • Turuchan Pika, Ochotona turuchanensis
      • Subgenus Ochotona: shrub-steppe pikas
        • Gansu Pika/Gray Pika, Ochotona cansus
        • Plateau Pika/Black-lipped Pika, Ochotona curzoniae
        • Daurian Pika, Ochotona dauurica
        • Tsing-ling Pika, Ochotona huangensis
        • Nubra Pika, Ochotona nubrica
        • Steppe Pika, Ochotona pusilla
        • Afghan Pika, Ochotona rufescens
        • Moupin Pika, Ochotona thibetana
        • Thomas's Pika, Ochotona thomasi
      • Subgenus Conothoa: mountain pikas
        • Chinese Red Pika, Ochotona erythrotis
        • Forrest's Pika, Ochotona forresti
        • Gaoligong Pika, Ochotona gaoligongensis
        • Glover's Pika, Ochotona gloveri
        • Himalayan Pika, Ochotona himalayana
        • Ili Pika, Ochotona iliensis
        • Kozlov's Pika, Ochotona koslowi
        • Ladak Pika, Ochotona ladacensis
        • Large-eared Pika, Ochotona macrotis
        • Muli Pika, Ochotona muliensis
        • Black Pika, Ochotona nigritia
        • Royle's Pika, Ochotona roylei
        • Turkestan Red Pika, Ochotona rutila

References

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External links

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• Reuters story on CNN.com: "American pika seen headed toward extinction" - 2005-12-30
• The Trek of the Pika "A story complete with sounds of pika calls" 2002-10-30

Pikas

Pibeharer | Pfeifhasen | Ochotonidae | Pika | Kiškėniniai | Fluithazen | Pipeharer | Szczekuszkowate | Pika | Пищухи | Pipharar | 鼠兔