Description

Distinguishing Features - Overall colouration, varying from pale buff to deep reddish-brown upperparts; sides and underparts whitish; tail blackish on top and whitish below; nose and inside of ears, pink.

Size - 12 cm (4.75 in)

Habitat

Widespread throughout Northwestern Ontario in a broad range of environments from woodlands to open grasslands; also in semi-rural areas, farmyards, fields and human habitations.

Diet

The deer mouse will feed mainly on seeds, berries, nuts and cones of conifers; also insects and eggs when available; often on household food when it manages to invade a home or cottage.

Notes

The deer mouse is subjected to heavy predation; in most locations only 5% of deer mice survive past their first year. Nevertheless, its numbers are astronomically high. A female will produce a litter of 1 to 11 offspring 2 to 4 times a year.

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