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| The Deer Mouse is very small, with a coat of brown or grey on the back and all white below. They have white feet, prominent ears, black eyes, and a long slender tail with covered in short hair. A great deal of time is spent grooming, keeping this animal very clean. It is active mainly at night. The White-footed Mouse is a close relative to the Deer Mouse, but is not very common to the Algonquin Highlands region, preferring to inhabit a more southerly area. They are so close in appearance that one must be an expert to tell them apart. The Deer Mouse makes nests in old trees for warmth from the winter, as well as nurseries for their young. In deep snow, they form small colonies with as many as twelve mice in one nest, sharing their warmth, as they do not hibernate. The Deer Mouse eats a variety of food, the bulk of which is plant seeds. They enjoy wild cherry pits and maple seeds, and also eat fruits, nuts, insects, and other invertebrates. This creature stores great quantities of food at all times of the year. They themselves are also an important source of food for many animals. Since they are so abundant as well as visible even in the winter season, the Deer Mouse is an important part of the food chain. |
(Family Muridae)
Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus)
White-footed Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus)
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