🦊

Wood Mouse

Apodemus sylvaticus

Not yet photographed by the community

Large ears and eyes; most widespread UK rodent.

Species Profile

Green List (Least Concern); widespread and common.

Lifespan: 1–2 years in the wild; up to 3 years in captivity
Size & Weight: 7–10 cm body length, 8–12 cm tail; 20–35 g
Habitat: Woodland, hedgerows, scrub, and grassland with good ground cover and access to seeds and invertebrates.
UK Distribution: Found throughout mainland Britain and Wales; absent from Ireland. Resident year-round; populations may fluctuate seasonally.
Diet: Seeds, nuts, berries, and invertebrates including insects, spiders, and earthworms; opportunistic omnivore.
Predators: Owls (particularly Tawny Owls), kestrels, foxes, stoats, weasels, and domestic cats.
Mating Season: May to September, with peak breeding in summer months.
Breeding: Litter size 4–8 young; gestation period 24–26 days; typically 2–3 litters per breeding season; young weaned at 3–4 weeks.
Behaviour: Nocturnal and solitary, though sometimes found in loose aggregations. Excellent climbers with large ears for hearing; create distinctive gnawed holes in nuts. Highly agile with a characteristic hopping gait.

Did You Know?

•Wood mice have large ears and eyes adapted for nocturnal vision and hearing, making them highly efficient foragers in darkness.
•They are prolific hoarders, caching seeds and nuts in burrows and under leaf litter to sustain them through winter.
•The species shows remarkable climbing ability for a mouse, often ascending trees and shrubs to access seeds and berries.
•Wood mice leave distinctive feeding signs—hazelnuts and beech masts with characteristic holes chewed from one side.
•They are a key food source for many British predators and play an important role in seed dispersal for woodland plants.

🦊

No photos yet

Be the first to photograph a Wood Mouse and share it with the community.