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Short-tailed Weasel
(Mustela erminea)

Other common names: ermine

Size:

  • 6-9 in (15-23 cm) long.
  • Tail up to 4 in (10 cm) long.
  • Male weighs up to 6 oz (170 g); female distinctly smaller.

Distribution in North America:
range map

ermine drawing by Wayne Trimm, NY DEC

weasel tracks
Tracks
Front: 1" x 1"
Hind: 1/2" x 1 1/4"

Habitat:

  • Brushy or wooded areas, usually not far from water.
  • Dens under rocks, stumps or foundations of old buildings.

Notes:

  • Smaller than mink and longtail weasel.
  • Always has black tip on tail — least weasel has no black tip.

The shorttail weasel is an excellent mouse hunter, and eats primarily small rodents and birds. Like most members of the weasel family, it kills with a piercing bite to the base of the skull. May give out a shrill shriek when frightened or when seizing prey.

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