<p>Historically, the black-tailed prairie dog (<i>Cynomys ludovicianus</i>) was a wide-ranging species inhabiting the middle portion of North America. After extensive population declines, reintroduction to protected areas has become a common conservation strategy, yet efforts often lack clear, measurable indicators of success, especially when long-term demographic data are unavailable. We evaluated structural characteristics of 13 colonies (including newly-reintroduced, well-established, and recently perished populations) in Texas to determine whether static data on burrow architecture and spatial metrics differ systematically across colony types. Because demographic data were not available, we did not assess colony persistence; instead, our goal was to describe structural patterns that may provide a useful descriptive context for characterizing colonies at different stages of development. At each colony, we measured seven structural characteristics related to ratios, burrow spacing, and colony area and shape. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences among three of the seven characteristics. Structural characteristics measured in newly-reintroduced colonies were generally more similar to well-established colonies than to perished ones. While nearest-neighbor burrow spacing was consistent across all colony types, other characteristics, including ratio of mounded-to-unmounded burrows and zonal differences in burrows, differed based on colony type. Structural features may provide useful, non-invasive descriptors for post-release monitoring of black-tailed prairie dog colonies, particularly when integrated with demographic data.</p>