Spotter's Guide

Spotter’s guide - hedgehog

Quick facts Scientific name: Erinaceus europaeus Habitat Urban and rural areas, including gardens, parks, woodland and farmland

Food Invertebrates, including beetles, slugs and earthworms Behaviour Nocturnal creatures that hibernate over winter and will roll up into a ball when frightened Vital statistics Head and body length: 15 – 30 cm Print length: 25 mm Tail length: 1 – 2 cm Print width: 28 mm Weight: Up to 1.2 kg Hedgehog tracks look like small Appearance: Brown in colour and covered in protective human handprints, showing a visible spines ‘thumb’. The front foot is much broader than the hind foot. Identifying hedgehog footprints can be tricky as many animals leave similar-sized tracks. By using a hedgehog tunnel to record footprints in ink, you can keep a record of who visited, and use the information in this guide to figure out their identity! Mouse Brown rat Squirrel

Length: 10 mm Length: 40 mm Length: 35 – 45 mm Width: 8 – 10 mm Rat prints show five Width: 25 – 35 mm Mice or voles leave lots straight toes, three pointing Squirrels move in a hopping of tiny five- and four-toed forwards and two pointing motion, so hind prints prints. Their tails will also outwards. can appear ahead of front leave a line of ink in a footprints. Prints often look footprint tunnel. triangular.

Weasel Stoat Rabbit

Length: 13 mm Length: 22 mm Length: 35 mm Width: 10 mm Width: 20 mm Width: 25 mm Weasel footprints have five Stoats leave five-toed prints, Rabbits have four pads on toes, and are similar to a but they are less likely to both the fore and hind feet. stoat’s. walk through a footprint Their hind feet often leave tunnel. an elongated slipper-shaped print. Cat Dog Fox

Length: 35 mm Length: 30 – 50+ mm Length: 50 mm Cat prints can vary in Width: 30 – 40+ mm Width: 35 mm size, and are usually fairly Dog prints will vary Foxes have four-toed circular. Footprint tunnels depending on the breed. prints, often confused will usually show some fur with those of a cat or dog. prints, but no claws. You can draw a diagonal cross through the print. If it doesn’t intersect the central pad then it’s a fox print.

Badger Toad/frog Bird

Length: 40 – 70 mm Amphibian prints will Length: 10 – 60 mm Width: 45 – 50 mm vary in size depending on Width: 10 – 50 mm species and life stage. They Badger prints are broad, may be made by the foot or Bird print sizes will vary flat-footed, long-clawed, the whole body. depending on the species. five-toed tracks, with the front foot slightly longer than the hind. Want to find out more about other species that need your help? Check out our Naturehood spotter’s guide series.

House Hedgehog sparrow

Small tortoiseshell Common frog butterfly Early bumblebee

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Illustrations supplied by Chris Shields