- Lifespan
- 3–12 months in the wild, rarely exceeding 1 year
- Size & Weight
- Body length 9–12 cm, tail 2.5–4 cm; 14–42 g
- Habitat
- Grasslands, meadows, moorland, and rough ground with dense vegetation cover, particularly in upland areas.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout the UK, including Scotland and upland regions; resident and non-migratory populations are present year-round.
- Diet
- Herbivorous, feeding on grasses, clover, and other vegetation; also consumes seeds and roots.
- Predators
- Birds of prey (owls, kestrels, buzzards), foxes, stoats, weasels, and domestic cats.
- Mating Season
- March to October, with peak breeding in spring and summer.
- Breeding
- Females produce 3–6 litters per year with 3–6 pups per litter; gestation period approximately 21 days.
- Behaviour
- Field voles are active day and night, creating extensive runway systems through grass. They are solitary and territorial, with populations subject to dramatic cyclical fluctuations. Unlike bank voles, they prefer grassland habitats and have a blunt face with small ears.