Smoky Shrew
Sorex fumeus
Description & Range:
The smoky shrew is a medium-sized shrew with a total length of 4-5 inches. Like many other species of shrews, they have small ears that are concealed by fur, tiny eyes, and a long, pointed snout. A defining feature of the smoky shrew is their coloration among seasons. They molt twice a year, once before the winter and again before the summer. In the summer, their dorsal fur is brown with a pale brown belly, while their winter coat is dark gray with a pale gray belly. Their tail is bicolored, with a similar color change as their fur when they molt. Another distinguishing feature compared to similar shrew species is their pale hind feet.
The smoky shrew is native to the eastern United States, with a range from southern Canada to northern Georgia. The westward boundary does not extend past Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio.
Habitat:
The smoky shrew prefers higher elevations, typically above 2300 ft, in a variety of forest types. They typically prefer areas in hardwood or coniferous forest, with plenty of moist soils, ground vegetation, and leaf litter. While less common, they may also occasionally be present in wetland habitats such as bogs and swamps.
Diet:
Smoky shrews prey on both the larvae and adults of several invertebrates, including insects, spiders, earthworms, and snails. They may also occasionally feed on vegetation and fungi. Like other shrews in the Sorex genus, they have a rapid heart rate and high metabolism that requires them to feed day and night to sustain themselves.
Reproduction:
The primary breeding season of the smoky shrew occurs between March and October. They produce 2-3 litters per year with 2-8 young per litter. They build rounded nests on the forest floor underneath debris such as rotting logs or stumps, using leaf litter, fur and hair, and other vegetation. They may also take over an abandoned nest if available.
Sounds:
Smoky shrews will make a high-pitched squeaking nose when disturbed, accompanied by behavior such as throwing themselves on their backs. They will produce a faint twittering noise when searching for food.
Behavior:
Smoky shrews are mainly nocturnal, though they can be active through all hours of the day year-round. They travel in tunnels under rotting logs and leaf litter.
Sources:
Peterson Field Guide to Mammals of North America, Fourth Edition
https://www.nrs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/jrnl/2007/nrs_2007_laerm_008.pdfhttps://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sorex_fumeus/
