The eastern woodrat is a relative of the better known packrat of the West. It is distinguished from the Norway rat--the only animal in Pennsylvania for which it may be confused--by its hairy, bicolor tail; the Norway rat (which is not indigenous to the US) has a naked tail. The woodrat does not thrive around civilization, preferring rock strewn sites, usually mountaintops and valley sides. It's been classified as threatened because populations have suffered significant declines across the northern part of its range. The woodrat is no longer found in Connecticut and New York. Their nocturnal habits make them largely unknown among the general public.