White-footed Mouse - Peromyscus leucopus
Global Rank:
G5
State Rank:
S4
Agency Status
USFWS:
none
USFS:
none
BLM:
none
CFWCS Tier:
2
General Description
Adults are reddish brown (juveniles gray), with a white belly, white feet, membranous ears, and bicolored tail (usually not sharply bicolored); adult total length 145-205 mm, tail 62-97 mm (usually shorter than head and body), hind foot 18-24 mm, ear 13-19 mm; 16-29 g in the northeastern U.S.; 3 pairs of mammae (Hall 1981, Godin 1977, Paradiso 1960).
Diagnostic Characteristics
Often difficult to distinguish from p. maniculatus. in new england, differs from maniculatus by having coarser and redder pelage, a more well-defined mid-dorsal stripe, a tail that is less distinctly white on the ventral surface and that seldom is as long as the head and body, and a broader rostrum (godin 1977). see hoffmeister (1986) for differences from peromyscus species in the southwestern u.s.
Distribution
Montana Range
Observations in Montana: 42
Montana CountiesBig Horn, Carbon, Chouteau, Custer, Dawson, Fergus, Garfield, Judith Basin, McCone, Meagher, Powder River, Richland, Rosebud, Valley, Yellowstone
Migration
Nonmigratory.
Habitat
Riparian woodland, dendritic distribution, uses thickets, shrubs. Nest 7 in. diameter of plant materials.
Food Habits
Somewhat omnivorous. Seeds, fruits and insects are dominant items, with order of importance varying between season and ranges.
Ecology
Semi-arboreal.
Reproductive Characteristics
Probably restricted to warmer months with peaks in Mar-Apr and Sept-Oct, in midsummer heat reporduction may slow down.
Citations & Sources