According to Gordon Kricher, writing in the marvelous Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Forests, mice are the most common mammal in the great forests of Northeastern North America. The little Deer Mice and the White Footed Mice actually outnumber the bolder and more conspicuous forest rodents such as squirrels or chipmunks. Secretive fellows, these mice often forage at night. Omnivores a with tilt towards plant-eating, they form an important link in forest food chains. When mice populations are not held in check by predators such as owls, foxes, weasels, or bobcats, they can consume so many tree seeds and newly sprouted saplings that forest regeneration is measurably slowed. A rise in the number of forest mice (often seen when oaks produce lots of acorns – as in good mast years) is also often associated with an increase in tick populations. This is especially troublesome when the ticks themselves are infected with disease-causing organisms such the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferia – which can trigger Lyme disease in us humans.
This page will also introduce students to several other local mice species. They’ll observe the outer appearance of the native Jumping Mouse – who tends to eat mostly insects, and who hibernates deeply throughout the winter when her favorite treats are less available. They’ll color the form of the chunky meadow mouse known as a Vole. This fellow thrives in more open, grass-covered areas within the NE Temperate Forestlands. Children can notice his very small eyes and ears, his bulky shape, and stubby tail. This type of mouse is a favorite food for hawks and many other small and midsized carnivores. Voles create intricate paths under the winter snow as they nibble on covered plants. These clipped trails through the grass and other vegetation are often revealed in early spring. Children will also find a drawing here of the House Mouse. These very adaptable fellows were not initially native to the Americas but were instead colonists from Central and Western Asia. They arrived on this continent some four hundred years ago with human settlers from Europe.