The most widespread mammal in North America — a small bicolored mouse with large dark eyes. Major prey for owls, hawks, foxes, weasels, snakes, and almost every other small predator.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The eastern deer mouse is a rodent native to eastern North America. It is a species of the genus Peromyscus, a closely related group of New World mice often called "deermice". When formerly grouped with the western deermouse, it was once referred to as the North American deermouse, a species which is no longer recognized. It is fairly widespread across most of North America east of the Mississippi River, with the major exception being the lowland southeastern United States.
Source: Wikipedia — Eastern deer mouse Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Small bicolored mouse: dark brown above, pure white below; long tail.
Similar species. White-footed Mouse (very similar; range overlap). Other Peromyscus species.
Voice. Squeaks; sometimes drums on substrates.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Seeds, nuts, fruits, insects, fungi.
Behavior. Among the most widespread native mammals in North America. Primary host for hantavirus in western US.
§ Range
Throughout most of North America
§ Habitat
Diverse: forests, prairies, deserts, alpine, brushy areas
§ Threats
Outdoor cats, secondary rodenticide poisoning impacting predators, climate-driven range shifts.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the deer mouse is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Seal mouse entry points to homes. Use traps not poison. Keep cats indoors.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Eastern deer mouse
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Peromyscus maniculatus
- IUCN Red List · taxon 16672
- iNaturalist · taxon 42953
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Peromyscus maniculatus
§ Sources cited
- American Society of Mammalogists
- CDC Hantavirus Information
- IUCN Red List 2016
