The size of the territory depends on the food supply where there is plenty there is no need to hunt for food far and wide.
Male territories are larger than females and they may overlap with one another. Weasels are crepuscular, active at twilight (dusk and dawn), and it must consume a quarter to a third of its body weight every day to survive.Įach weasel has a territory of 4 – 8 hectares (1 hectare is equal to 2 football pitches).
When ratting, its courage is even greater than the stoats.įemale weasels are considerably smaller than males, however, both are small enough to pursue rats, mice and even field voles in their own tunnels. Weasels are good climbers and will often raid birds nests, taking the eggs and young. The weasel may travel up to 2.5 kilometres on a hunting expedition. Prey is usually taken on the ground.Ĭats, owls, foxes and birds of prey will all try to kill weasels, although a weasel will fight hard to defend itself. Their prey is killed with a sharp bite to the back of the neck. Mice and voles make up 60% – 80% of their diet, however, they also eat rats, frogs and birds. In folklore at least, this dance is particularly associated with the stoat. Certain species of weasel and ferrets, have been reported to perform the mesmerizing weasel ‘war dance’, after fighting other animals, or acquiring food from competing creatures. Weasels feed on small mammals and in former times were considered vermin since some species took poultry from farms, or rabbits from commercial warrens. Their nests are made of grass and leaves, usually in holes in a wall, or tree stumps. Weasels have a wide range of habitats from grasslands, sand dunes, lowland forests to upland moors and even towns, anywhere where there is suitable food. Weasels have sharp eyesight and excellent hearing. In many weasel species, populations living at high latitudes moult to a white coat with black fur at the tip of the tail in winter. The weasel is smaller than the stoat and lacks the small white patches under their chin and throat. Weasels have light brown fur on their backs and their underparts are creamy/white. Their long slender bodies enable them to follow their prey into burrows. Weasels bodies and necks are shaped cylindrically, they are long and slender and they have short legs. The average weasel weighs about 198 grams (7 ounces), however, males usually weigh up to 115 grams and females up to 59 grams. Weasels vary in length, but generally, male weasels measure around 20 – 22 centimetres long and have a tail length of 6.5 centimetres and female weasels measure around 15 – 18 centimetres long and have a tail length of 4.5 centimetres. The Weasel pre-breeding season population is estimated to be 450,000 adults. Collective nouns for a group of weasels include boogle, gang, pack and confusion. Male and Female stoats and weasels are referred to as a dog and a bitch respectively. Weasels look very similar to Stoats, the only noticeable difference being, that unlike stoats, weasels do not have a black tip to the tail.īoth weasels and stoats have a very similar diet and enjoy similar habitats and ranges around Britain, yet they tend to stay out of each others way if possible. Like the stoat, it is still persecuted by gamekeepers.
Weasels are widespread and common throughout England, Scotland and Wales but absent from Ireland, the Isle of Man and most smaller islands. Weasels also inhabit North Africa, Asia and North America, and were introduced to New Zealand. The Weasel (Mustela nivalis) is the smallest member of the Mustelid family and Britains smallest carnivore.Ĭommon weasels are found in central and western Europe and the Mediterranean region (but not the Mediterranean islands).
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