Outdoor Ontario

Off Topic => Anything Goes => Topic started by: Axeman on January 27, 2009, 12:25:13 PM

Title: Voles v. Shrews
Post by: Axeman on January 27, 2009, 12:25:13 PM: I was wondering if anyone knew whether voles and shrews are the same animal...and if anyone knows of a good photo site showing pix of different species of mice....
Title: Species Comparsion
Post by: JTF on January 27, 2009, 01:17:18 PM: They are different, one noticable difference is the shrew has a long nose compared to a vole.
Title:
Post by: DavidB on January 27, 2009, 04:45:06 PM: Yes they are absolutely different!
Both have tiny eyes relative to mice and rats. Shrews almost look blind.
Voles are usually larger than shrews.
Voles are usually brown, while shrews are greyish (grayish?).
Voles are herbivores, while shrews are primarily carnivorous (ounce for ounce, they're outstandingly vicious). Because they are active hunters, you're more likely to see a shrew in the winter than a vole (tiny body = relatively high energy requirement, like hummingbirds). Over the years, I've found a surprising number of shrews out and about in the snow.
Voles are known for their characteristic meandering tunnels through the matted grass beneath the snow. Voles are probably by far the more abundant food source of the two for raptors at this time of year. Never seen a winter vole, except when my dog fox-pounces one out of the snow. :x
Curious why you ask?
Title:
Post by: Pat Hodgson on January 28, 2009, 10:54:26 AM: try this: http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/index.asp

click on mammals, then you will see another set of choices, voles and shrews are both there
Title:
Post by: Carl-Adam on January 28, 2009, 01:55:00 PM: They are both in unrelated families shrews are in Soricidae and voles are in Cricetidae.
Title:
Post by: Axeman on January 29, 2009, 09:59:28 AM: lol...boy do I feel umm....stupid and smart at the same time...

I ask b/c I found a dead shrew in my garage -- it was grayish and had sharp nose...I said shrew and my neighbour said it was a vole...and then said they were the same thing....lol...thanks guys....

Now...was wondering if anyone could help me re: mice in my house....I live in the country so mice in the house is not something to be alarmed about...but these mice are umm...well they don't get into food...they will get into the garbage f there is good stuff to shred in there...they are fairly slow moving...I have caught them with my hands...and they are tiny and ummm....forgive me....cute....now often when I catch them with my hands, its with the best intentions of releasing them far from my house....but I find that when I get to my destination they are dead....and its not like the character from grapes of wrath...I didn't squish them....they just expire in my cupped hands....
Title:
Post by: Axeman on January 29, 2009, 10:02:27 AM: Thanks for the link to guide...it was the Northern Short-tailed Shrew....
Title:
Post by: Carl-Adam on January 29, 2009, 02:12:59 PM: Shrews can die of stress when you capture them but I have never heard of that happening to mice...
Title:
Post by: Bird Brain on January 29, 2009, 02:29:49 PM: Quote from: "Axeman"
they just expire in my cupped hands....

Guess they're afraid you're going to take the "axe" to them! :lol:

Sorry, Axeman .... Monday's night's New Moon is still affecting me 3 days later! :shock: