Length: head and body 3-4"; tail 0.75-1.2"
Weight: 0.4-0.8 oz.
Number of teeth: 32
Young: approximately 5 young per litter born from April to November.
Various habitats (grassy fencerows, open woodlands) but most common in woodlands.
Insect eater, or insectivore: earthworms, snails, slugs, insects, insect larvae.
Period of Activity
Day and night.
Illinois: Northern two-thirds of the state.
USA: See distribution map.
Shrews have enormous appetites and are known to eat more than their body weight each day. They depend on their hearing more than sight to locate food and are able to produce sounds which man cannot hear. Shrews are also known as ferocious fighters, protecting their home range (0.5-1 acre) and food supply.