Ground squirrel

Ground squirrel, any of various small burrowing rodents (genus Citellus) of the squirrel family. North American species include the 13-striped ground squirrel, or spermophile, of the prairies, the rock squirrel of canyons and rocky slopes in the West, and the golden-mantled squirrel of woodlands. Chipmunks, prairie dogs, and woodchucks may also be considered ground squirrels.