Mammals of the WorldCommon Shrew
Sorex araneus
- Order
- Eulipotyphla
- Family
- Soricidae
- Genus
- Sorex
- IUCN status
- LC
- Distribution
- United Kingdom|Spain|France|Belgium|Netherlands|Luxembourg|Germany|Denmark|Switzerland|Italy|Liechtenstein|Austria|Czech Republic|Poland|Slovakia|Hungary|Slovenia|Croatia|Bosnia and Herzegovina|Serbia|Kosovo|Montenegro|Albania|North Macedonia|Greece|Turkey|Bulgaria|Romania|Moldova|Ukraine|Belarus|Lithuania|Latvia|Estonia|Norway|Sweden|Finland|Russia|Kazakhstan|Mongolia
- Realm
- Palearctic
Other names: Eurasian Shrew|European Shrew
About this species
- Size
- 55–82mm
- Weight
- 5–12g
- Diet
- Invertebrates
- Habitat
- Grassland, woodland, hedgerows, and other dense ground cover
- Range
- Northern Eurasia
The common shrew is a small, long-snouted mammal measuring about 55–82mm and weighing 5–12g. It has velvety dark-brown upper fur, a paler underside, very small eyes, and red-tipped teeth. Juveniles are usually paler before their first moult. Despite its mouse-like size, the pointed mobile snout, compact body, and very small rounded ears distinguish it readily from rodents in close views. (Wikipedia, general species account)
It occupies grassland, woodland, hedgerows, and other places with dense ground cover across northern Eurasia. Common shrews hunt invertebrates during both day and night, alternating energetic feeding bouts with short rests. Their metabolism requires frequent feeding, and individuals are territorial outside the breeding season. The opened account chiefly reflects European studies and did not provide a Mongolia-specific habitat, status, or viewing locality. (Wikipedia, general species account)
Description: Wildlife of Mongolia guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)