Field guide to the most commonly encountered mammals and birds

Here, we provide some basic information regarding commonly observed species (plus some others about which we have had queries).  

Feel free to contact us by email if you have any questions regarding species you have encountered on the site.

For more information about mammals, we recommend the Mammal Society's species hub, here. For birds, excellent resources are available from the RSPB (here) and the BTO (here).

 

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Water Shrew

Scientific name: Neomys fodiens

Family: Soricidae

Appearance: The Water Shrew is the largest shrew in Great Britain and is similar in appearance to the Common Shrew except it is larger and darker above. The pale underparts look very white in comparison (although there are some individuals that are completely black). The dense fur helps to insulate them from the cold and wet. Most Water Shrews also have a small tuft of white hair on the ears and white hairs around the eyes. The underside of the tail is also white. 

Size: Head and body 6.3-9.6 cm; Tail 4.7-8.2 cm; Weight 8.23 g.

Natural history: Water Shrews can be found amongst dense vegetation on the banks of both fast-flowing freshwater streams and rivers and still waters such as ponds, canals and marshes. In Scotland they are also found on rocky beaches. They live in burrows which they either dig themselves or utilise abandoned rodent burrows. Generally solitary, they maintain territories - but not aggressively - and individuals may live quite close together. They feed both on land and underwater on crustaceans, insect larvae, snails, frogs, newts, beetles, worms and millipedes (other British shrews do not forage underwater and rarely swim). They are also unusual in having venomous saliva which helps to stun their prey. They are active throughout the year. Breeding takes place between April and September, but most births occur in May and June. The females have one or two litters a year containing an average of six young. The young are born blind and helpless and may remain with their mother for up to 40 days. 

 (C) Wildlife in a Dorset garden (shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license)

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