Mustela frenata
ID
- Long, slender body with long neck
- Yellowish-white underparts with brown top parts
- Black tail-tip (Burt)
- Turn white in the winter, but maintain the black tail-tip (Audubon)
Distribution
Reproduction
- Young born in litters of 4-8 in April or May
- Midsummer mating season
- Gestation of 205-314 days (Audubon)
Behavior
- Most widespread carnivore in the Western Hemisphere
- Will sometimes go on killing sprees, instincts telling them to procure food when it is available and cache it for later (Audubon)
- Both males and females maintain territories, and they make them with chemical secretions from their anal glands (Smithsonian)
Food Habits
- Preys largely on moles and voles, but will also take rabbits, chipmunks, shrews, rats, birds, poultry, and occasionally insects or earthworms (Audubon)
Size/Life Cycle
- Average Measurements: 330-420mm males, 280-350mm females (total length), 160-450g males, 80-250g females (total weight) (Smithsonian)
Predators
- Hawks, owls, cats, foxes, and snakes (Audubon)
- Domestic dogs (Smithsonian)
Habitat
- Variable
- Forested, brushy, and open areas, including farmland
- Prefer areas near water (Audubon)