Southeastern shrew facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Southeastern shrew |
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| A dismal swamp southeastern shrew, Sorex longirostris fisheri | |
| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Sorex
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| Species: |
longirostris
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| Southeastern shrew range | |
The southeastern shrew (Sorex longirostris) is a small mammal that belongs to the shrew family (Soricidae). You can find this animal living in the southeastern parts of the United States.
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What Does the Southeastern Shrew Look Like?
The southeastern shrew has reddish-brown fur on its back and head. Its belly is grayish. Its long tail has two colors, dark and light brown. This shrew is a bit smaller and more reddish than the masked shrew, which looks very similar.
Shrews have long, pointed noses, tiny eyes, and small ears. They have excellent hearing and a very good sense of smell. The tips of their front teeth are dark chestnut in color. This color comes from iron in the outer part of their teeth.
A southeastern shrew weighs about 0.11 to 0.14 ounces. Its total length, including its tail, is about 2 to 4 inches. In the wild, most shrews live for less than a year. Some can live up to 18 or 19 months.
Where Do Southeastern Shrews Live?
Southeastern shrews live in many different places. These include forests, woodlands, and areas with lots of bushes and shrubs. They also like meadows, fields, swamps, marshes, and bogs.
They prefer places that are just starting to grow back after being disturbed. This includes old farms or fields that have thick ground cover like honeysuckle, grasses, and other plants.
What Are the Different Types of Southeastern Shrews?
There are three main types, or subspecies, of the southeastern shrew. They are mostly different in their size:
- The dismal swamp southeastern shrew (S. l. fisheri) lives in southeastern Virginia and eastern North Carolina. This includes the famous Great Dismal Swamp.
- S. l. eionis is found in northern Florida.
- S. l. longirostris lives in the rest of the shrew's range. This includes states like Maryland, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Missouri, Indiana, southern Ohio, and central Illinois.
How Do Southeastern Shrews Behave?
Southeastern shrews are active both during the day and at night. They spend most of their time looking for insects to eat. They often make a small "chipping" sound that you might hear.
These shrews are very busy. They often use burrows made by other animals. They also dig and search for food under the leaves on the forest floor. There can be about 12 shrews living in one acre of land.
What Do Southeastern Shrews Eat?
The southeastern shrew mainly eats spiders. They also enjoy eating the young forms (called larvae) of butterflies and moths. Their diet also includes slugs and beetles. Sometimes, they will eat plants and centipedes too.
Who Hunts Southeastern Shrews?
Many animals hunt southeastern shrews. Some of their known predators include opossums and different kinds of owls, like barn owls and barred owls. Snakes also hunt them.
Other animals that might catch a shrew are hooded mergansers (a type of duck). Even pets like domestic cats and domestic dogs can sometimes hunt them.
