Critter Catalog

What do they look like?

Masked shrews are the second smallest shrew species in North America, pygmy shrews are slightly smaller. Male and female masked shrews are about the same size and color. The fur of their back is almost uniformly brown and their underparts are greyish-white. Their tail is brown above and lighter below, with a black tip. Fur color tends to be darker in the winter. Tail length averages 39.9mm, almost half of their total body length. Average body length of adults is 99 mm. Young are born hairless and with fused eyelids, they weigh from 0.2 to 0.3 grams and are 15 to 17 mm long including a 3 mm long tail.

• Other Physical Features
• endothermic
• bilateral symmetry

• Sexual Dimorphism
• sexes alike

• Range mass

  2.5 to 4.0 g

  0.09 to 0.14 oz

• Average length

  99.0 mm

  3.90 in

• Average basal metabolic rate

  0.238 W

  AnAge

Where do they live?

Masked shrews are the most widely distributed shrew in North American. They are found throughout the northern United States, most of Canada, and Alaska. They do not occur on Vancouver Island, the Queen Charlotte Islands, in tundra habitats, on arctic islands, or in extreme northern Quebec.

• Biogeographic Regions
• nearctic
  • native

What kind of habitat do they need?

Masked shrews occupy a wide variety of habitats. They are found in open and closed forests, meadows, along river banks, lake shores, and willow thickets. Preferred habitats are always close to water and the largest numbers of masked shrews can be found in moist environments. Masked shrews also do well in disturbed habitats such as those disturbed by fire or logging. The average home range size is 0.6 hectares.

• These animals are found in the following types of habitat
• temperate

• Terrestrial Biomes
• forest
• rainforest

• Wetlands
• marsh
• swamp

How long do they live?

Masked shrews probably do not live much past 1 to 2 years old, most probably die before reaching adulthood.

• Typical lifespan
  Status: wild

  2.0 (high) years

How do they behave?

Masked shrews are most active after dark, when 85 per cent of activity occurs. They are especially active when there has been a rainfall or on very dark nights. Their primary activity is hunting. Masked shrews hunt mainly on the ground but may also climb into low vegetation and shrubs. They run quickly, can jump to 10-15 cm high, and dig in loose soils.

• Key Behaviors
• nocturnal
• motile
• sedentary
• solitary

How do they communicate with each other?

Little is known of communication in masked shrews. They have an excellent sense of smell and can see fairly well. They use their sensitive whiskers to find their way around and detect prey. Masked shrews also probably squeak and hiss as a way of communicating.

• Perception Channels
• tactile
• chemical

What do they eat?

Because masked shrews inhabit a wide range there is a lot of variability in their diet. Ants represent 50% of the food source for masked shrews in Michigan. In other areas they eat mostly insect larvae. In general, masked shrews consume a variety of invertebrates including insect larvae, ants, beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, spiders, harvestmen, centipedes, slugs, and snails. They are also important predators of forest insect pests such as jack pine budworms and larch sawflies. Seeds and fungi are also eaten occasionally.

• Primary Diet
• carnivore
  • eats non-insect arthropods

What eats them and how do they avoid being eaten?

Masked shrews avoid being preyed upon by staying under cover and being active mostly at night, they are rarely seen.

• Known Predators

  • weasels (Mustela)
  • hawks (Accipitridae)
  • falcons (Falconidae)
  • owls (Strigiformes)
  • domestic cats (Felis silvestris)
  • red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)
  • snakes (Serpentes)
  • short-tailed shrews (Blarina brevicauda)

What roles do they have in the ecosystem?

Masked shrews can be very abundant in the communities in which they live. They can have a dramatic impact on insect communities because they have to consume such large quantities of insects. They are also important prey items for many small predators.

Do they cause problems?

The negative impacts of masked shrews are unknown. They may affect populations of some beneficial organisms or inhibit reproduction of some plants by consuming seeds.

How do they interact with us?

The extent to which masked shrew populations affect humans is unknown. However, they have a significant impact on populations of insect pests and are important members of communities.

• Ways that people benefit from these animals:
• controls pest population

Are they endangered?

Masked shrews are common and widespread.

• IUCN Red List

  Least Concern
  More information

• IUCN Red List

  Least Concern
  More information

• US Federal List

  No special status

• CITES

  No special status

• State of Michigan List

  No special status

Contributors

Wendy Lee (author), University of Toronto.

References

Boyd, S., K. Carlin-Morgan, B. Coslick, A. Edwards, M. Flood. June 1, 2000. "Mammals: Sorex cinereus, S. fumeus, S. longirostris & Microsorex hoyi" (On-line). Accessed October 6, 2000 at http://museum.nhm.uga.edu/~GA Wildlife/.

Nagorsen, D. 1996. Opossums, Shrews and Moles of British Columbia. UBC Press/Vancouver: Royal British Columbia Museum Handbook ISSN 118-5114.

Pagels, J., K. Uthus, H. Duval. 1994. The Masked Shrew, Sorex cinereus, in a Relictual Habitat of the Southern Applachian Mountains. Pp. 103-109 in J Merritt, G Kirkland, R Rose, eds. Advances in the Biology of Shrews. Pittsburgh, PA: Carnegie Museum of Natural History Special Publication No. 18.

Wilson, D., S. Ruff. 1999. The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals. Washington and London: Smithsonian Institution Press.

van Zyll de Jong, C. 1983. Handbook of Canadian Mammals. vol. 1, Marsupials and Insectivores. Ottawa, Canada: National Museums of Canada.