Red Squirrel
Sciurus vulgaris
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 21–25cm (body); 14–20cm (tail). Several colour morphs ranging from red to black. In winter fur becomes greyer and ear-tufts are prominent. Smaller than Grey Squirrel.
HABITAT
Forests, especially coniferous, and woods dominated by beeches, across much of Europe. Increasingly scarce in Britain, where the main threats to it are an increase in Grey Squirrels, disease (squirrel poxvirus transmitted via Grey Squirrels, which are largely immune) and road traffic.
FOOD AND HABITS
Solitary and diurnal, with peaks of activity around dawn and dusk. Feeds mostly on conifer seeds, favouring pine cones, as well as larch and spruce. Also eats fungi, shoots and fruits, and sometimes birds’ eggs. Hoards food. Mating varies between winter and spring, according to availability of food and geographical distribution. Nests in dreys, often in the forks of tree trunks. Litter size 3–8. Lifespan 3–5 years, but many die in the first year.
Conifer seeds extracted from cones are a key food source
Grey Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
Sign of a squirrel’s presence: nutshell split open
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 23–30cm (body); 19–24cm (tail). Grey fur is variably tinged with red and yellow. Some individuals are noticeably red in summer.
HABITAT
North American species that has been introduced to Britain and Ireland, where it is now very common in wooded habitats, including gardens and parks.
FOOD AND HABITS
Active during the day. In summer foraging takes place mainly in trees, but it also searches on the ground for fungi, bulbs, roots and cached acorns. Food includes eggs, nestlings, leaves, buds and shoots. Drey is a large structure of twigs, leaves, bark and grass. Does not hibernate. Breeds May and December. Up to seven young are born. Lifespan up to nine years.
Edible Dormouse
Glis glis
Sign of a dormouse’s presence: smooth-edged hole in nutshell
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 13–19cm (body); 11–15cm (tail). Uniformly grey with a faint yellowish tinge, fleshy nose and naked rounded ears. Eyes are surrounded by dark rings. Bushy tail.
HABITAT
Mature woodlands, parks and large gardens. Found throughout Europe, but absent from Scandinavia. Introduced to Britain in antiquity.
FOOD AND HABITS
Nocturnal and secretive, spending the day hidden in a hole in a tree or in an old bird’s nest. Forages in the tree canopy; also enters sheds and lofts in search of food. Favours nuts and berries, but some insects and nestlings are also eaten. Hibernation begins October. Breeds June–August. Litter size 4–6. Lifespan up to six years.
Field Vole
Microtus agrestis
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 9.5–13.5cm (body); 2.5–4.6 cm (tail). Coarse yellowish grey-brown fur and a short tail. Ears are hidden by fur.
HABITAT
Prefers rough grassland and scrub. Also found in open woodland, field margins and hedges. Occurs across Europe from northern Spain; absent from Iceland, Ireland, Italy, the Balkans, Norway and Sweden.
FOOD AND HABITS
Mostly nocturnal; sometimes active during the day, particularly in winter. Mainly vegetarian, eating leaves and seeds. Breeds March–October; longer in mild winters. Litter size 2–7, with up to seven litters a year. Only a few voles reach 18 months.
Bank Vole
Clethrionomys glareolus
Sign of a vole’s presence: clearly delineated gnawed edge in nutshell
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 8–11cm (body); 3.5–7.2cm (tail). Rounded face and small eyes. Bright chestnut fur on the back and buffish-grey underparts.
HABITAT
Mixed deciduous woodland with well-developed undergrowth, but also coniferous woodland, grassland and scrub. Occurs across Europe from northern Spain to northern Scandinavia; absent from much of Ireland, Iceland, Italy and Greece.
FOOD AND HABITS
Actively searches for seeds, roots, nuts, shoots and buds during the day in summer, with peaks of activity around dawn and dusk. Breeds April–December. Litter size 3–5, with 4–5 litters a year. Lifespan rarely exceeds 18 months.
Wood Mouse
Apodemus sylvaticus
Sign of a mouse’s presence: upper teeth marks evident in nutshell
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 8–10cm (body); 6.9–11.5cm (tail). Orange-brown fur, noticeable ears and tail that may be longer than the body. Underparts pale grey.
HABITAT
Every habitat except those that are too wet or too high (above 2,500m). Rare in coniferous woodland. Occurs throughout Europe except far north.
FOOD AND HABITS
Forages largely at night for seeds, buds, fruits, nuts, snails and spiders. A good climber; can be found in trees and enters houses in search of food. Does not hibernate, but slows down in cold weather. Litter size 2–11, with about six litters a year. Life expectancy 10–17 weeks, but a few reach two years.
House Mouse
Mus domesticus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 7–10cm (body); 6.5–10cm (tail). Uniformly greyish fur, and a thick scaly tail. Colour varies. Emits a strong musky smell when disturbed.
HABITAT
Originated in rocky habitats in Asia, and now closely associated with humans. Found in buildings and on farmland throughout Europe except far north.
FOOD AND HABITS
Primarily a grain eater feeding on wide variety of seeds, roots, fungi and invertebrates, taking an average of about 3.5g a day. Litter size 5–8, with 5–10 litters a year. Mortality high, with very few surviving to reach two years.
Yellow-necked Mouse
Apodemus flavicollis
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 8.5–13cm (body); 9–13.5cm (tail). Larger, brighter and redder than Wood Mouse, with a clearer demarcation between the upperside and underside. Distinct yellow bib between the front legs in northern Europe; this is less distinct in the southern area of its range.
HABITAT
Favours deciduous woodland, wooded gardens and established orchards; also coniferous forests and mountains at up to 2,250m. Occurs in Wales, southern England, northern Spain and France, but not far north.
FOOD AND HABITS
Eats acorns, seeds, grain, fungi, berries, leaves, insect larvae and pupae, snails and birds’ eggs. Hoards food throughout the year. Largely nocturnal. Litter size 2–11, with 3–4 litters a year. Lifespan up to four years.
Brown Rat
Rattus norvegicus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 11–29cm (body); 8.5–23cm (tail). Coarse grey-brown fur and a thick scaly tail.
HABITAT
Found across Europe except Arctic Scandinavia, in all habitats associated with humans. May move onto farmland in summer in search of cereals.
FOOD AND HABITS
Wary nocturnal rodent rarely seen by humans, despite living close to them. Prefers grain, but will eat a variety of foods including roots, buds, fruits, frogs, birds’ eggs and human refuse. Breeds throughout the year. Litter size 7–8, with about five litters a year. Lifespan one year.
European Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 34 –50cm (body); 4–8cm (tail). Grey-brown with an off-white belly and long rounded ears. Prominent eyes are chestnut and nose is gently rounded. Underside of the tail is white.
HABITAT
Favours heathland, meadows, grassland, farmland, woodland and large gardens. Found throughout Europe.
FOOD AND HABITS
Generally seen around dusk and dawn, or at night. Vegetarian diet includes crops, cereals, saplings, grasses and bulbs. Breeds year round.
European Hedgehog
Erinaceus europaeus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 20–30cm (body); 1–4cm (tail). Rounded short body covered with spines, which are dark with creamy tips. Face and underside are covered with coarse hairs. Longish legs. Pointed nose, small ears and eyes, and pointed teeth.
HABITAT
Lowlands up to 2,000m, where there is ground cover for shelter and nesting, across Europe except far north.
FOOD AND HABITS
Eats invertebrates found at ground level, including slugs, worms and beetles, as well as birds’ eggs and nestlings, and carrion. Usually nocturnal. Runs quite fast, can climb banks and walls, and swims. Mainly solitary. Spines protect it from most predators. Cars, lawnmowers and poisoning by chemicals such as slug pellets are the main causes of death. Hibernates October–March/April. Litter size 2–7, with 1–2 litters a year. Mortality is high in the first year, but survivors live for about three years.
European Mole
Talpa europaea
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 11–16cm (body); 2–4cm (tail). Soft grey-black fur, cylindrical shape, massive earth-moving front paws, tiny eyes covered by fur and a pink bewhiskered nose. Rarely seen above the ground; the hills it leaves on the ground are a sign of its presence.
HABITAT
Woodland species that has adapted to fields, parks and gardens. Absent from far north and far south.
FOOD AND HABITS
Active beneath the ground day and night all year. Tunnels may be 1m deep and 200m long. Food is earthworms and insect larvae, which are found by smell and hearing. Female builds a nest of dry grass and leaves, in which she gives birth to 3–4 young. Lifespan about three years.
Common Shrew
Sorex araneus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 5.2–8.7cm (body); 2.4–4.4cm (tail). Adult has a three-coloured coat, consisting of a dark brown head and back, pale brown flanks and grey-brown underparts.
HABITAT
Widespread in habitats with ground cover, but most common in rough grassland, scrub, woodland and hedges. Found throughout Europe from Scandinavia to Wales, but not in Iceland, Ireland and the Iberian Peninsula.
FOOD AND HABITS
Active day and night. Uses its long nose to sniff out beetles, spiders, small snails and other invertebrates. Litter size 4–10, with up to five litters a season. Less than 30 per cent survive long enough to breed the following year, and few of these survive until the next breeding season.
Pygmy Shrew
Sorex minutus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 4–6.4cm (body); 3.2–4.6cm (tail). Back and head grey-brown and underside greyish-white. Head more bulbous, and tail thicker and hairier, than Common Shrew’s (opposite).
HABITAT
Similar habitat to Common Shrew. Found in gardens, particularly near compost heaps.
FOOD AND HABITS
Very agile, often climbing in search of food. Does not burrow itself, but uses burrows of other small mammals, and may dig through leaf litter and surface vegetation. Feeds on insects and other invertebrates 2–6mm long. Eats one-and-a-quarter times its own weight each day. Litter size 4–7, with several litters a season. Lives up to 13 months, but at least half do not survive the first two months.
Pipistrelle
Pipistrellus pipistrellus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 3.5–4.9cm; wingspan 27–30cm. Very small bat with a soft reddish coat, though the colour may vary. Rounded head with small triangular ears. Fast and jerky flight.
HABITAT
Found across Europe except far north, in all but the most exposed habitats.
FOOD AND HABITS
In summer roosts in buildings, squeezing through tiny gaps to gain entrance. In winter uses buildings and natural sites for hibernation; also behind boards attached to walls and in specially made boxes. Usually emerges after sunset, but may be seen during daylight. Hunts flying insects for up to 3 hours in warm weather, up to 15 minutes in cold. Each male has a group of 8–10 females. Usually one young is born in spring. Average lifespan four years.
Brown Long-eared Bat
Plecotus auritus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 3–4.3cm; wingspan 23–28.5cm. Not a large bat, but with prominent ears that are clearly visible in flight. Fluffy fur is greyish-brown with a paler underside. Brown wings are translucent.
HABITAT
Found in mature woodland, parkland and large gardens at up to 2,000m. Absent from Spain, Iceland and northern Scandinavia.
FOOD AND HABITS
Summer roosts with up to 60 individuals are in old trees, buildings and bat boxes. Winter roosts are in caves, tunnels and disused mines. May move to a new roost in trees in mid-winter. Hibernates late October–early April. Litter size 1–2, born mid-June–July. Average lifespan four and a half years.
Noctule
Nyctalus noctula
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 3–8cm; wingspan 32–40cm. Almost twice the size of Pipistrelle, with narrow wings. Coat golden-brown, but moults into a duller paler brown in August–September. Wings are dark brown or black.
HABITAT
Lowland deciduous woodland, parkland and gardens with mature trees. Absent from Iceland, Scotland and far north.
FOOD AND HABITS
Uses tree-holes as summer roosts; also bat boxes. In winter roosts in trees and buildings. Emerges from roosts at dusk. Catches and eats flying insects on the wing. Offspring born June–July; usually only one young is produced. May live for 12 years, but most die much sooner.
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 56–77cm (body); 28–49cm (tail); 35–40cm (height at shoulder). Pointed nose and ears, and bushy tail, make this reddish-brown carnivore unmistakable.
HABITAT
Found in every type of habitat, including urban areas, at up to 3,500m in mountains. Widespread across Europe except Iceland.
FOOD AND HABITS
Active mostly at night with peak activity at dawn and dusk. Preys on small mammals and birds, but about two-thirds of an urban fox’s diet is human refuse. Also eats carrion, as well as hedgerow berries and fruits. Lives in family groups. Litter size 4–5 cubs, which are born black. Some foxes survive for 12 years, but most live for only about two.
Eurasian Badger
Meles meles
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 67–85cm (body); 11–20cm (tail); 30cm (height at shoulder). Black stripe through each eye, a white face and coarse greyish fur. Although the sexes are alike, male has a broad domed head, while female’s head is narrower and flatter, and she has a bushier tail.
HABITAT
Deciduous woodland with open areas or bordering farmland; also parks, gardens and mountains up to 2,000m. Occurs in most of Europe except far north.
FOOD AND HABITS
Eats earthworms, small mammals, birds, eggs, reptiles and frogs; also berries, fruits, roots and honey, and grubs in wasps’ and bees’ nests. Most cubs born January–March. Litter consists of 1–5 cubs. If they survive their first year, badgers live for about six years.
Pine Marten
Martes martes
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 40–55cm (body); 22–26cm (tail). Flattened head, long neck and short legs. Fur predominantly dark brown, but throat is cream or pale yellow.
HABITAT
Woodland, particularly coniferous forests, at up to 2,000m. Moves into lofts and farm buildings in winter. Found across Europe from northern Spain. In Britain limited to north of Scotland, the Lake District, north Wales, Yorkshire and western Ireland.
FOOD AND HABITS
Nocturnal. Good climber and jumper. Feeds on small mammals, birds’ eggs and nestlings. Also eats berries, fruits and wild bees’ honey. Usually three young are born March–April. If the first winter is survived, life expectancy is about five years.
Weasel
Mustela nivalis
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 13–23cm (body); 3–6cm (tail). Long body and neck. Fur chestnut-brown with white underparts. Male much larger than female.
HABITAT
Found in lowland woods, farmland and large gardens across Europe, except Ireland and Iceland.
FOOD AND HABITS
Hunts day and night, with three periods of sleep (3–4 hours each) every day. Prey is mainly voles, but also young rabbits, rats, moles and nestlings. Cannot survive more than 24 hours without food. Solitary outside breeding season. Litter size 3–8. Life expectancy about a year in the wild.
Stoat
Mustela erminea
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 24–31cm (body); 9–14cm (tail). Larger than Weasel (opposite), with more reddish-brown fur and a black-tipped tail. In the north of its range in winter, its coat turns clean white except for the tail tip, which remains black. Male larger than female.
HABITAT
Wide range of habitats, wherever there is suitable food. Occurs across Europe except lowlands around Mediterranean and Iceland.
FOOD AND HABITS
Moves with a bounding gait and is a good swimmer and agile climber. Hunts by day and night either singly or in family parties. Prey includes small mammals and birds. Mates in summer, but gestation, of 21–28 days, is delayed until the following spring, when a litter of 6–12 is born. Life expectancy 1–2 years.
Reeves’s Muntjac
Muntiacus reevesi
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 90–107cm (body); 14–18cm (tail); 44–52cm (height at shoulder). Red-brown deer with a dark V-shape on the head. Buck has short antlers and long incisors, which may protrude from its upper lip. Coat is grey-brown and legs are nearly black in autumn.
HABITAT
Dense deciduous woodland with thick undergrowth; also gardens and orchards. Introduced to Britain from China in the 1900s; now found in England, Wales and other parts of western Europe.
FOOD AND HABITS
Eats grass during spring; browses on shrubs and the lower branches of deciduous trees. Normally solitary and active day and night, particularly around dusk and dawn. One fawn is born after a seven-month gestation. Many muntjac die in hard winters; lifespan of survivors is 16 years.
Roe Deer
Capreolus capreolus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Length 100–140cm (body); 1–2cm (tail); 100–140cm (height at shoulder). Coat reddish-brown in summer, moulting into longer grey-brown to almost black in autumn. Short muzzle with a black nose, and large dark eyes. Bucks have small antlers (to 30cm) with three tines.
HABITAT
Deciduous and coniferous woodland, open moorland and sometimes reedbeds, across much of Europe. Enters large gardens.
FOOD AND HABITS
Feeds on the buds and shoots of trees and shrubs, brambles, wild flowers, ivy, ferns and berries. Mostly solitary. May form small flocks in winter; males may be seen with females in breeding season. Rutting July–August. Implantation is delayed and gestation starts December–January. Young (usually twins) born April–June. Most die in the first few months; lifespan of survivors is 12–14 years.