pika

Everyday

A pika is a small, round furry mammal with short ears and no tail, related to rabbits, that lives among rocks on cold mountains in Asia and North America. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons pikas are an example of animals affected by climate change, because they need cool mountain air; they collect grass into «haypiles» for winter. Phrases: an American pika, a pika's haypile.

Examples

• A pika looks like a tiny hamster but is related to rabbits. tree →
• The pika squeaked from the rocks. tree →
• Pikas gather grass to eat in winter. tree →
• We saw a pika on our trip to the Rocky Mountains. tree →
• Pikas cannot survive in very hot weather. tree →
• The pika hid between two big stones. tree →

Note

Countable: one pika, two pikas. Say PIE-kuh or PEE-kuh. Not the same as the cartoon character Pikachu, though that name may come from it. Not a rodent; it is a lagomorph, like rabbits.