{"id":9857,"date":"2021-11-06T11:08:01","date_gmt":"2021-11-06T11:08:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/?p=9857"},"modified":"2021-11-10T08:16:06","modified_gmt":"2021-11-10T08:16:06","slug":"what-do-ermine-eat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/what-do-ermine-eat\/","title":{"rendered":"What Do Ermine Eat?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ermines, or Musetela erminea<\/em>, are a type of weasel that is commonly known as a stoat or short-tailed weasel. Although they appear small and shy, don\u2019t mistake their appearance for weakness. Ermines are fierce predators with impressive hunting tactics. In this article, we\u2019ll explore ermine diets in the wild, and discuss how they sustain themselves in the winter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is an Ermine? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"What<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Some people use the terms ermine, weasel, and mink interchangeably. But there are distinct differences<\/a> between each word. The term \u201cweasel\u201d<\/em> refers to a large genus of mammals called Mustela<\/em>, of the Mustelidae <\/em>family.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mustela <\/em>family includes creatures such as weasels, stoats, ferrets, polecats, and minks. All weasels share similar features – they are small, with thin bodies and proportionally short legs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main difference between a mink and an ermine is size. Mink are much larger, weighing in at about 3lbs and up to 18 inches<\/a> in length. Ermine usually only weigh around 0.3lbs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ermine also change colors throughout the seasons. In the summer, stoats are brown with white bellies. Mink remain either brown or black all year.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does an Ermine Eat?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ermine prey on small vertebrates – usually warm-blooded creatures that are no bigger than a rabbit. Although mammals are their meal of choice, they have a backup plan when food is scarce. An ermine\u2019s diet typically includes a variation of the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n