A type of ground squirrel belonging to the family Sciuridae in the order Rodentia. These stout, short-tailed, short-legged ground squirrels inhabit open plains, short-grass prairies, and plateaus in the western part of North America from Canada to Mexico. The short coarse fur is grayish-brown. They have small beady eyes, pouched cheeks, and a short flat tail. Adults have a head-body length of 280–330 mm (11–13 in.), a tail length of 30–115 mm (1–4.5 in.), and weigh 0.7–1.4 kg (1.5–3 lb).