One of the most widely distributed mammals in North America, this small, primarily nocturnal shrew is secretive and rarely seen. Although all shrews are noted for their large appetites, the Masked Shrew is particularly voracious. Its daily consumption of moth and beetle larvae, slugs, snails, and spiders often equals or exceeds its own weight. Like other shrews, the Masked Shrew does not hibernate; it seeks out dormant insects for sustenance even during the coldest part of winter. It makes a nest of leaves or grass under a log or in a stump or clump of vegetation. The young are born blind. At 18 days, their eyes open; at 19 days they are weaned and become independent. Few young shrews are noted in the field because they reach nearly full size before leaving the nest.

description A very small shrew. Brownish above; belly silvery or grayish. Long tail brown above, buff below; tail tufted, with terminal hairs of underside dark. Third and fourth unicuspids usually about same size. L 2 3/4–4 3/8" (71–111 mm); T 1–2" (25–50 mm); HF 3/8 –1/2" (10–14 mm); Wt 1/16–1/4 oz (2.4–7.8 g).

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