Smoky shrew facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Smoky shrew |
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| Museum specimen | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Sorex
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| Species: |
fumeus
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| Smoky shrew range | |
The smoky shrew (Sorex fumeus) is a small mammal that lives in North America. You can find these shrews in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States. They also live further south along the Appalachian Mountains. These busy little animals are active all year long!
Contents
What Does a Smoky Shrew Look Like?
The smoky shrew has a dull gray body. Its belly is a lighter color. It has a long tail that is brown on top and yellowish underneath. In winter, its fur turns a darker gray.
A smoky shrew is about 11 centimeters (4 inches) long. This includes its tail, which is about 4 centimeters (1.5 inches) long. It weighs around 5 grams (0.18 ounces), which is about the same as a few paper clips!
Where Do Smoky Shrews Live?
Smoky shrews like to live near streams. They prefer cool, damp forests with lots of trees, both deciduous (trees that lose their leaves) and mixed woods.
These shrews dig their own burrows in the fallen leaves on the forest floor. They usually live alone. Sometimes, they build round nests about 10 to 15 centimeters (4 to 6 inches) wide. They make these nests from plant materials under rocks. Smoky shrews don't often dig long tunnels themselves. Instead, they use tunnels that moles or other shrews have already made.
What Do Smoky Shrews Eat?
Smoky shrews mostly eat beetles. But they also enjoy other insects, earthworms, and snails. Sometimes, they even eat small rodents or other tiny creatures that live in the soil. They also munch on plants to get all the nutrients they need.
Many animals hunt smoky shrews. These predators include owls, snakes, foxes, and weasels.
Smoky Shrew Reproduction and Life Cycle
Smoky shrews start looking for mates in late March. Female shrews usually have their first babies in April or May. It takes about 20 days after mating for the babies to be born.
Right after their first litter is born, females can mate again. If a female lives long enough, she might have two more litters. Each new litter arrives about a month after the last one. A litter usually has 6 pups, but it can be anywhere from 2 to 8.
When the baby shrews are one month old, they weigh about 4 grams. This is half the weight of an adult shrew! Only the mother shrew takes care of the babies. Male shrews do not help.
Female shrews build nests in the leaf litter to give birth. The baby shrews are born blind and helpless, and they don't have any fur. The mother feeds and protects her babies for a short time, usually less than 20 days.
How Do Smoky Shrews Communicate?
Smoky shrews are quite noisy! They make different sounds, but scientists don't fully understand what all their sounds mean. When they are looking for food, they make a "twittering" sound. If they feel scared or in danger, they make high-pitched, grating noises.
