# Field Vole (*Microtus agrestis*) Field voles are small, furry animals that live in fields and meadows. They have tiny eyes and ears, and they love to dig tunnels in the grass to stay safe and find food. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Field Vole](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Aardmuis.jpg&width=800) Photo: Fer boei at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aardmuis.jpg) ## Appearance The Field Vole has a stocky body with short legs, a blunt snout, and small eyes and ears that are almost hidden by its shaggy fur. Its coat is typically reddish-brown on its back, fading to greyish-white underneath. Unlike mice, it has a short tail, usually less than half its body length. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Cricetidae - **Genus:** Microtus ## Interesting facts - A single female Field Vole can have up to 7 litters of babies in one year! - Field Voles never hibernate, staying active even under a blanket of winter snow! - Their front teeth grow continuously throughout their entire life! - They create intricate tunnel systems, called 'vole runs', hidden beneath tall grass. ## Special abilities - **Tunnel Navigator:** Field Voles have a strong sense of smell that helps them navigate their complex network of underground tunnels. - **Rapid Reproducer:** Field Voles can reproduce very quickly because of a short gestation period, helping their population bounce back fast. - **Camouflage Cloak:** Field Voles have brown, shaggy fur that helps them blend perfectly into grassy fields, hiding them from predators. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 8-13 cm - **Weight:** 0.015-0.05 kg - **Lifespan:** 0.5-2 years - **Speed:** 10 km/h - **Litter Size:** 3-7 - **Gestation:** 18-21 days ## Diet & Feeding These small herbivores enjoy a plant-based diet, munching on grasses and other plant parts. - **Primary Foods:** Grasses, Sedges, Herbs, Seeds, Bark - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Barn Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/barn-owl) (*Tyto alba*) — Barn Owls frequently hunt voles as a primary food source. - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Red Foxes are common predators, hunting voles in fields. - **Eaten by:** Least Weasel (*Mustela nivalis*) — Weasels are efficient hunters of small mammals like voles. - **Eats:** [Kentucky Bluegrass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/kentucky-bluegrass) (*Poa pratensis*) — Voles graze on abundant grasses like this common species. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a field vole, watch quietly from a distance and don't try to touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Field Vole? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Field Vole? 8-13 cm ### How much does Field Vole weigh? 0.015-0.05 kg ### How long does Field Vole live? 0.5-2 years ### How fast can Field Vole move? 10 km/h ### What does Field Vole eat? These small herbivores enjoy a plant-based diet, munching on grasses and other plant parts. ### Where is Field Vole usually found? Grasslands ### How does Field Vole hunt? Foraging ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Field Vole: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-vole)