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.