Small Mammals of North Dakota

Short-tailed Shrew

Blarina brevicauda

Although not pictured, the short-tailed shrew is mentioned because of its obvious size difference in comparison to other shrews. The masked shrew appears dwarfed when placed next to a meadow vole or deer mouse, but the short-tailed shrew's body is very similar in size to both the meadow vole and deer mouse. The short-tailed shrew's color is also much darker, being grayish to grayish-black and the tail is much shorter in relation to its body length than the masked shrew. The short-tailed shrew is able to eat a greater variety of foods because of its larger size. It may actually take a mammal of its own size such as a vole or deer mouse. It is one of the only mammals known to produce a venom aiding in the immobilization of its prey.

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