deermouse
Range: All life zones throughout North America.
Habitat: Some species of deermouse can be found in almost any association imaginable.
Description: A large-eared mouse with white feet. Since there are many species in this genus and most of them are quite similar, characteristics common to the greatest number will be given. Bear in mind that these may not hold true with every species of the genus.
Deermice are rather small, averaging 7 to 8 inches long. Tail 3 to 4 inches. Most species are a buffy gray above shading to brighter buff on the sides and light buff to white beneath. Feet are always white. The ears are large for a mouse, usually sparsely covered with short, fine hairs, but in some species almost naked. Eyes appear black but have a brownish shade when viewed closely in a good light. Tail long, up to the length of head and body, as a rule sparsely haired; bicolor in some species. Young, four to six, born almost any time of the year, with several litters except at higher elevations where only one litter may be born, and this during late spring.
In the Southwest the mild climate and plentiful food supply of the lower life zones combine to attract a great number of small rodents. By far the greater number of species is found in the Upper and Lower Sonoran Zones. This does not mean that mice are rare in the high mountains. They live there in great numbers, but of fewer species. One is the long-tailed deermouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), probably the most outstanding member of the genus, and the most widely distributed mouse in the United States. As might be expected, it is quite variable in appearance, having at least three distinct color phases. These vary from golden tan to a dark gray. All phases have a sharper bicolor tail, white beneath and like the rest of the upper body on top.
The deermouse is well known to those who are fortunate enough to own summer cabins in the mountains. This is the little rodent which moves into the cabin as soon as the vacationer departs. Fortunately it is not so destructive as the common house mouse (which, by the way, is an introduced species) and limits its destructiveness for the most part to building a large and comfortable nest in which to live during the winter months. Deermice do not hibernate, so they must prepare against the bitter cold. However, it is not their habit to store food either, and doubtless many of them starve to death over a hard winter.
Mountain vole
Microtus montanus (Latin: small ear ... of the mountains)
