Long-tailed shrew
Sorex dispar
Description & Range:
The long-tailed shrew has a lean body and long tail that is nearly the same length as the body. Their total length ranges from 4½-5¼ inches. It closely resembles the smoky shrew (Sorex fumeus), with the long tail being a key difference. Long-tailed shrews have dark gray fur with a slightly paler underside. Their tail is slightly bi-colored, with dark gray on top. Like many other shrew species, long-tailed shrews have a long snout and small eyes. Compared to other shrews, their teeth are especially long and narrow.
The range of the long-tailed shrew extends as far north as Nova Scotia, Canada, and as far south as eastern Tennessee and North Carolina. They are most commonly found throughout the Appalachian Mountain Range.
Habitat:
Long-tailed shrews live in predominantly mountainous areas, and have a wide tolerance for variations in altitude. They prefer moist, hardwood or coniferous forests along mountain streams and rocky areas, and can often be found amongst the recesses between rocks and boulders.
Diet:
Long-tailed shrews primarily eat small invertebrates and plant materials. Their typical diet consists of centipedes, beetles, spiders, flies, and crickets. Due to their small size and active lifestyle, they eat almost continuously and can consume twice their body weight in food each day.
Reproduction:
The reproductive season of the long-tailed shrew occurs from April to August, with 2-5 litters produced each year. The average litter size is between 4 and 7 young. The newborns remain in a nest made of grasses and leaves for a few weeks, until they are old enough to begin foraging.
Behavior:
Long-tailed shrews are solitary animals that are active day and night all year round. Almost all of their time is spent foraging for food. To avoid predation, they often feed at night and remain concealed under the debris on the forest floor.
Sources:
Peterson Field Guide to Mammals of North America, Fourth Edition
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sorex_dispar/https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/information/long-tailed-rock-shrew/
