Family: Soricidae, Shrews view all from this family

Description In summer: brownish to grayish above; grayish tinged with brown or red below. In winter: entirely grayish or blackish. Long tail uniform in color or grading to paler below. Fourth unicuspid larger than third. L 3 3/4–4 5/8" (95–119 mm); T 1 3/8"–2" (34–51 mm); HF 3/8"– 1/2" (11–14 mm); Wt 1/16–1/4 oz (3–8.5 g).

Similar Species Pacific and Dusky shrews have longer tails. Baird’s Shrew is best distinguished by different pigmentation pattern on teeth.

Habitat Mixed forests.

Range Southern British Columbia and nw U.S., south through much of Arizona and New Mexico.

Discussion This tiny creature spends much of its time in the runways of voles, where it finds such foods as insect larvae, slugs, snails, spiders, and other invertebrates, as well as the subterranean fungus Endogone. Its common and scientific names allude to its extraordinary activity in pursuit of food rather than to its wanderings, which are no greater than those of other shrews.