We studied movement distances and home ranges of Blarina brevicauda (northern short-tailed shrew) for 25 years in bluegrass, alfalfa, and tallgrass habitats in east-central Illinois. Whereas habitat and season influenced movement distances, population density and apparent predation risk did not. Specifically, movement distances were larger in tallgrass than in either alfalfa or bluegrass, presumably because of lower food availability in tallgrass as compared to the other two habitats. Movement distances of both sexes were slightly larger during the breeding season than the non-breeding season, perhaps reflecting searching for mates (males) and increased energetic demands of reproduction (females). Home-range areas did not differ between alfalfa (236 m2) and bluegrass (252 m2); we could not obtain reliable estimates from tallgrass. These data add to the limited information available on movements and home-range areas of the northern short-tailed shrew.
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1 June 2008
Factors Influencing Movement Distances and Home Ranges of the Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda)
Lowell L. Getz,
Betty McGuire
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