Masked Shrew
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| iMasked Shrew | ||||||||||||||
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| Sorex cinereus Kerr, 1792 |
The Masked Shrew (Sorex cinereus) is a small shrew found in Alaska, Canada, the northern United States, and northeastern Siberia. This is the most widely distributed shrew in North America where it is also known as the Common Shrew.
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[edit] Description
It is grey-brown in colour with a light grey underside. It has a long tail which is brown on top and pale underneath with a dark tip. Its body is about 9 cm in length including a 4 cm long tail. It weighs about 5 g.
[edit] Distribution
These animals are found in humid areas and damp northern forests. Their range extends further south along the Rocky Mountains in the west and the Appalachians in the east. This species was introduced into Newfoundland in the late 1950s.
[edit] Prey and predation
They eat insects, worms, snails, small mammals, salamanders and seeds. They have voracious appetites, even for a shrew, and can eat their own body weight in a day. Predators include larger shrews, hawks, owls, shrikes, snakes, herons, and foxes.
[edit] Behaviour
These animals are active day and night year-round. They dig tunnels but also use tunnels created by other small mammals. They mate between spring and fall. 3 to 6 young are born in a nest under a log or in a stump. In the north, females have only one litter per year. These animals usually live less than 18 months.
[edit] References
- Insectivore Specialist Group (1996). Sorex cinereus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
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