Northern Grasshopper Mouse

About the Northern Grasshopper Mouse

The northern grasshopper mouse (Onychomys leucogaster) is a North American carnivorous rodent of the family Cricetidae. It ranges over much of the western part of the continent, from southern Saskatchewan and central Washington to Tamaulipas in northeast Mexico.

The northern grasshopper mouse is found in North America, primarily in dry areas. They are stocky: on average they are 164 mm (6.5 in) long and about 35 g (0.077 lb) in weight. The tail is often less than 30% of the total body length, whereas other mice tend to have longer tails. It has two main color phases: grayish (or black in northeastern bits of its range) and cinnamon with white below. Unlike most rodents, this one has a mostly carnivorous diet mainly consisting of small insects, other mice, and even snakes; no more than a quarter of its diet is plant-based. Vegetation is consumed in greatest amounts around midwinter. This rodent is also nocturnal and especially active on moonless or cloudy nights. Throughout the night, the grasshopper mouse makes high-pitched noises, performed with a raised nose and opened mouth to claim its territory. It's preyed on primarily by hawks, owls, coyotes, and snakes.

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