- Lifespan
- 12–20 months in the wild, rarely exceeding 2.5 years
- Size & Weight
- 7.5–9 cm body length; 4–6 cm tail; 5–15 g
- Habitat
- Grasslands, hedgerows, woodland edges, and rough ground with dense ground cover and leaf litter.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout mainland Britain and Wales; absent from Ireland and most Scottish islands. Year-round resident.
- Diet
- Insectivorous, feeding primarily on invertebrates including earthworms, beetles, spiders, and insect larvae, supplemented with small vertebrates and plant material.
- Prey
- Earthworms, beetles, cricket larvae, spiders, centipedes, small mice, and amphibians
- Predators
- Owls (especially Barn and Tawny Owls), weasels, stoats, foxes, and domestic cats
- Mating Season
- April to August, typically with two breeding seasons per year
- Breeding
- Gestation period 24–26 days; litter size 5–8 young; females produce 2–3 litters per breeding season; young weaned at 22–25 days
- Behaviour
- Highly active day and night with a frenetic, aggressive temperament; solitary and territorial outside breeding season. Uses shrieking vocalizations and scent-marking to defend territory. Requires frequent feeding due to high metabolic rate.