Northern short-tailed BLARINA BREVICAUDA

Class: with Milk Glands (Mammalia) Subclass: True () Order: Insect Eaters () Family: Soricidae.

The Name "Shrew": "Shrew" comes from the Middle English word "shrewe," for the .

Description: A small, mouse-sized with very short tail, short limbs, a muzzle somewhat pointed, tiny eyes, and ears concealed by fur. The short-tailed fur is a dense slate gray and slightly lighter underneath. Head and body length is 3 to 4 in, weight 0.5 to 1 oz.

Location: Southeastern Canada and eastern United States from Nebraska to the Atlantic, south to Kentucky and Alabama; also in central Gulfcoast Florida.

Habitat: Deciduous or coniferous forests, fields, grassy areas near water, salt marshes.

Behavior: The abundant short-tailed shrew digs through the forest litter or tunnels in moist soil, and is active mostly during early morning and late afternoon. Its diet is principally earth-worms, snails, and insects but fungus, various , and occasionally small vertebrate animals are also eaten. This species paralyzes its victims with its poisonous saliva, and is known to store surplus food. Males are territorial and mark their burrows with glandular secretions, the odor of which keeps other males out. Poisonous mammals are rare, so see also the solenodon, platypus, and water shrew.

Reproduction: During the breeding season, March through September, the short-tailed shrew builds a nest of dry leaves and grass under a log or other shelter. Gestation is 21 days or more, and two to possibly four litters, each of 5-7 young, are born per year.