Difference between field voles and bank voles

[vole-woman]

Hope I've got this right, that the top one's field vole and the bottom one's bank? If that's correct, then I thought it would be useful to post my pics here then people who get confused about the differences between these chaps (like I do) could see them side by side. I'm thinking the bank vole's browner with a longer tail?

[The Woodman]

Spot on, v-w, and good images too!

I always think the Bank Vole is a finer looking animal, the Field Vole is slightly larger with a heavier head.

The FV is often referred to as the short-tailed field vole which is a good way to describe it.

[Dogghound]

Yes

Field vole (top)

short tail,
grey/light brown coat,
ears tucked in behind long shaggy hair,
long shaggy hair on back

Bank Vole (bottom)

Long tail,
redish brown/grey coat,
ears stick out
Tidy fur
Partially larger eyes

Both are evolved to fit their separate niche in the environment, which can be seen by their colour, tail, eyes etc.

[vole-woman]

Hooray. Thanks. We did a mammal-trapping weekend and caught three bank voles, three wood mice and just one field vole even though I know the reserve is teeming with them (loads of field vole latrines and feeding stations). The guy who organised the trapping says field voles are much shyer of the traps than bank voles.

I was lucky enough to hold a bank vole in my palm - I had mittens on and my hands were quite warm and he sat there so contentedly I actually had to prise him off in the end. Not so your mouse or your field vole!

[vole-woman]

Can I add your list to my blog, Dogghound?

[vole-woman]

It was interesting to see the wood mouse right next to the voles - it's vastly pointier face and bigger ears, but above all it's much much longer tail. I said the one of my colleagues that a long tail might be a liability - I know wood mice shed their tail skin as a painful last-resort defence mechanism - but be said they really needed their tails for climbing and balance.

[Dogghound]

Yeh, sure Vole Woman not a problem.

You cant blame field voles for being so shy, just about everything eats them.

[vole-woman]

Aren't bank voles equally scrumptious?

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

It was interesting to see the wood mouse right next to the voles - it's vastly pointier face and bigger ears, but above all it's much much longer tail. I said the one of my colleagues that a long tail might be a liability - I know wood mice shed their tail skin as a painful last-resort defence mechanism - but be said they really needed their tails for climbing and balance.

True, and also the reason why the woody habitat preferring bank vole has a longer tail than the open habitat preferring field vole. As it climbs more often and requires more balance.

[vole-woman]

I never get bored with mammals! So much to learn.