Hello everyone, we are back for the next addition of VoiceforWildlife where today we are edging away from our garden birds and keeping our feet firmly on the ground with a tiny mammal that we will all come across at a magical point in our lives - the field mouse.
Yes, love them or hate them the miniaturised field mouse is a popular visitor to our gardens, that usually go up noticed as they are nocturnal (meaning they they come out at night). However they will venture out of shelter during the day in search of food if times are tough. Their habitat ranges over gardens, fields, forest, parks - almost anywhere where there is a sustainable supply of food, water and shelter. Their food source changes, depending on the habitat that they choose to take residency. If they are in gardens their diet is mainly grass seeds, bulbs and berries and if you feed your birds, as I'm sure many of you do, they will take advantage of any nuts, mealworms and scraps left behind. In woodland, parks and forest they will feed on fallen acorns, grass seeds and any other food stuffs left behind by people. As Autumn falls upon us, the Field mouse (otherwise known as the wood mouse) will begin to cash (store) any food that will last for a long period of time. Wood mice do not hibernate, therefore it is important they gather enough food to keep them alive through winter. Although if supply's are low, and a wood mouse is using up precious energy too quickly they will go into a state of controlled inactivity (known as Torpor) when there brains become inactive as well as their body's, they will then 're-awaken' as temperatures rise.
Field mice are one of our most common mammals, with females territory averaging at around a hectare. The males territories overlap the females and the are slightly larger. Once the breeding season (usually from April-October, but breeding occurs all year round) is over the population 'explodes', with a population of 90 wood mice being recorded in some ideal habitats. However in winter many will die with just 2 per hectare being recorded by early spring. Offspring will be born just 20 days after breeding,weighing just 2 grams.
Being such a small mammal makes the wood mouse an easy prey item, placing them at the bottom of the food chain. Predators such a stoats, foxes, badgers and a variety of owl will happily take advantage of the abundance of these creatures. Moreover they are widely predated by domestic cats causing havoc among family's when an unfortunate rodent or 'vermin' (as many people think of them) is found lying on the floor.
Wood mice will rarely venture into our homes but occasionally they may come inside in the search for food before retreating out again as they much prefer to be outside. If you have mice venturing into your home, mainly in winter, it is most likely you have a common house mouse that has decided to take up residency in your attic or a forgotten corner.
The Field mouse has large, endearing oily black eyes positioned on the side of their heads and a long thin tail. Their ears are large and circular, pointed up right with brown fur spreading across their small body's.
So, whatever you think of the miniature wood mouse, stop and spare a thought when the weather is harsh and, give the little fellas a break with a few well placed peanuts under shelter in a quiet corner of the garden.
(No credit is taken for the photo)
-please ask any questions you may have-