{"id":8581,"date":"2013-06-13T03:45:26","date_gmt":"2013-06-13T09:45:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=8581"},"modified":"2026-03-05T06:38:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T12:38:59","slug":"montana-yellow-bellied-marmot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/06\/13\/montana-yellow-bellied-marmot\/","title":{"rendered":"Montana Yellow-bellied Marmot"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Yellow-belliedYellow-bellied Marmot crossing a dirt track – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/320, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 300mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Yellow-bellied Marmots are the western cousins of Groundhogs but unlike Groundhogs (Woodchucks)\u00a0they aren’t fabled critters that can predict spring and I am okay with that because spring gets here when it gets here.<\/p>\n

I did learn why Yellow-bellied Marmots got the nickname “Whistle Pig” when I first came upon the two marmots in this area because one let out a sharp alarm whistle.\u00a0 This marmot crossed the dirt track to get to the other side where I thought it would disappear into the sagebrush and rocks.<\/p>\n

\"Toothy-grinToothy-grin from a Yellow-bellied Marmot – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/320, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 300mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Yellow-bellied Marmots are also called “Rock Chucks” though it is not because they can chuck rocks, it may be because they like rocky steppes, high meadows and talus slopes, or it may come from the fact that they typically dig their burrows near and under rocks to avoid predators such as wolves, coyotes, foxes, dogs, and sadly humans too.<\/p>\n

The marmot didn’t disappear into the rocks like I thought it would, instead it stopped and nibbled on some grass. I didn’t realize until I got back home and viewed this image on my monitor that I had caught the marmot with its mouth open showing its very long teeth.<\/p>\n

\"BellyBelly of a Yellow-bellied Marmot – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/320, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 300mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I wish I didn’t have the light colored dirt track on the left side of these frames and that the marmot had continued moving a little further into the grass. I also wish the light had been falling on the front of the marmot instead of behind it but the clouds overhead did help with the exposure for these images.<\/p>\n

I wanted to take a short break from the birds I photographed in Montana and present at least one of the mammals I saw there too and I like this Montana Yellow-bellied Marmot<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Yellow-bellied Marmot photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yellow-bellied Marmots are the western cousins of Groundhogs but unlike Groundhogs (Woodchucks) they aren’t fabled critters that can predict spring and I am okay with that because spring gets here when it gets here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":133807,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1513,223,12,608,231],"tags":[4004,9588,9585,3747,4109,9587,5854,2241,4984,2242,165,9586,2243,5869,4029],"class_list":["post-8581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beaverhead-county-montana","category-centennial-valley","category-montana","category-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge","category-yellow-bellied-marmots","tag-adult","tag-belly","tag-dirt-track","tag-grass","tag-grasses","tag-grin","tag-marmot","tag-marmota-flaviventris","tag-marmots","tag-rock-chuck","tag-spring","tag-toothy","tag-whistle-pig","tag-yellow-belly-marmot","tag-yellow-bellied-marmot"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/yellow-bellied-marmot-mia-mcpherson-7288.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-2ep","jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":109953,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/02\/02\/a-shadow-will-be-seen\/","url_meta":{"origin":8581,"position":0},"title":"A Shadow Will Be Seen","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 2, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning a shadow will be seen by any Yellow-bellied Marmots that venture above the snow-covered, frozen ground in northern Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Box Elder County"","block_context":{"text":"Box Elder County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/box-elder-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Yellow-bellied Marmot in February, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/yellow-bellied-marmot-february-male-mia-mcpherson-1740.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/yellow-bellied-marmot-february-male-mia-mcpherson-1740.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/yellow-bellied-marmot-february-male-mia-mcpherson-1740.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/yellow-bellied-marmot-february-male-mia-mcpherson-1740.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":126962,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/04\/01\/yellow-bellied-marmot-on-a-cliff\/","url_meta":{"origin":8581,"position":1},"title":"Yellow-bellied Marmot On A Cliff","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 1, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"On April Fool's Day of 2022, I was up in far northern Utah where I spotted this adult male Yellow-bellied Marmot warming up in the morning sun on a cliff.","rel":"","context":"In "Box Elder County"","block_context":{"text":"Box Elder County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/box-elder-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult male Yellow-bellied Marmot on a cliff, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/yellow-bellied-marmot-male-cliff-face-mia-mcpherson-8926.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/yellow-bellied-marmot-male-cliff-face-mia-mcpherson-8926.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/yellow-bellied-marmot-male-cliff-face-mia-mcpherson-8926.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/yellow-bellied-marmot-male-cliff-face-mia-mcpherson-8926.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":103279,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/06\/14\/yellow-bellied-marmot-photos-from-the-uinta-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":8581,"position":2},"title":"Yellow-bellied Marmot Photos From The Uinta Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 14, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week I showed my friend Steve Mirror Lake Highway in the Uinta Mountains and I was able to put him on a lifer Yellow-bellied Marmot.","rel":"","context":"In "Summit County"","block_context":{"text":"Summit County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/summit-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Yellow-bellied Marmot in the Uinta Mountains, Uinta National Forest, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/yellow-bellied-marmot-adult-high-uintas-mia-mcpherson-6362.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/yellow-bellied-marmot-adult-high-uintas-mia-mcpherson-6362.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/yellow-bellied-marmot-adult-high-uintas-mia-mcpherson-6362.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/yellow-bellied-marmot-adult-high-uintas-mia-mcpherson-6362.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":101349,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/04\/04\/yellow-bellied-marmot-pup-in-a-crack-in-some-rocks\/","url_meta":{"origin":8581,"position":3},"title":"Yellow-bellied Marmot Pup In A Crack In Some Rocks","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I was delighted to find and photograph a Yellow-bellied Marmot pup peeking out of a crack in some lichen-covered rocks on the 1st of April in northern Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Box Elder County"","block_context":{"text":"Box Elder County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/box-elder-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Yellow-bellied Marmot pup in a crack in the rocks, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/yellow-bellied-marmot-pup-in-a-crack-mia-mcpherson-8888.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/yellow-bellied-marmot-pup-in-a-crack-mia-mcpherson-8888.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/yellow-bellied-marmot-pup-in-a-crack-mia-mcpherson-8888.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/yellow-bellied-marmot-pup-in-a-crack-mia-mcpherson-8888.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":101550,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/04\/13\/yellow-bellied-marmot-babies\/","url_meta":{"origin":8581,"position":4},"title":"Yellow-bellied Marmot Babies","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 13, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"A few days ago I was thrilled to have four small Yellow-bellied Marmot babies to observe and photograph on some rocks in far northern Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Box Elder County"","block_context":{"text":"Box Elder County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/box-elder-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Yellow-bellied Marmot baby looking out from a crevice, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/yellow-bellied-marmot-baby-mia-mcpherson-7175.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/yellow-bellied-marmot-baby-mia-mcpherson-7175.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/yellow-bellied-marmot-baby-mia-mcpherson-7175.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/yellow-bellied-marmot-baby-mia-mcpherson-7175.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":102105,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/05\/03\/young-yellow-bellied-marmot-pup-portraits\/","url_meta":{"origin":8581,"position":5},"title":"Young Yellow-bellied Marmot Pup Portraits","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 3, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Today I am sharing two portraits of recently photographed Yellow-bellied Marmot pups that I found near their den in desert habitat in northern Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Box Elder County"","block_context":{"text":"Box Elder County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/box-elder-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Portrait of two Yellow-bellied Marmot pups, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/yellow-bellied-marmot-pups-portrait-mia-mcpherson-9692.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/yellow-bellied-marmot-pups-portrait-mia-mcpherson-9692.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/yellow-bellied-marmot-pups-portrait-mia-mcpherson-9692.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/yellow-bellied-marmot-pups-portrait-mia-mcpherson-9692.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8581"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8581\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/133807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}