A ground squirrel that moves with its tail held over its back, it lives in deserts and dry shrublands.
The underside of its tail is white. Its upper fur ranges from buff to cinnamon in spring and summer and tends to turn gray in winter; a narrow white stripe runs along the side.
It is active by day and eats vegetation, seeds, and insects. On hot summer days it may rest in shade or in its burrow.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.