Why are woodrats commonly referred to as packrats across their range?
Answer
Due to their tendency to collect items.
Woodrats derive the common moniker 'packrats' directly from their characteristic behavior of collecting and accumulating various objects, materials, and debris. This hoarding tendency is so pronounced that it leads to the creation of substantial piles, known as middens, which serve as their primary residence or cache sites. This behavior of gathering disparate materials—ranging from sticks and dried plant matter to bones and shiny objects—is a consistent trait observed across the genus *Neotoma* and is the defining reason for the nickname.
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