A small shrew of western wet habitats. Excellent indicator species for healthy riparian areas.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The vagrant shrew, also known as the wandering shrew, is a medium-sized North American shrew. At one time, the montane shrew and the Orizaba long-tailed shrew were considered to belong to the same species.
Source: Wikipedia — Vagrant shrew Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Small brown shrew with pointed snout; tiny eyes.
Similar species. Other Sorex shrew species.
Voice. Squeaks.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Insects, small invertebrates.
Behavior. Common western US shrew.
§ Range
Western North America
§ Habitat
Riparian areas, wet meadows
§ Threats
Habitat loss to development.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the vagrant shrew is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Maintain riparian habitats.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Vagrant shrew
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Sorex vagrans
- IUCN Red List · taxon 29691
- iNaturalist · taxon 42953
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Sorex vagrans
§ Sources cited
- American Society of Mammalogists
- IUCN Red List 2016
