Eurasian Harvest Mouse

Micromys minutus

Rare & uncommon in Southern & Eastern England.

Its eyes and ears are relatively large.

It has a small nose, with short, stubble-like whiskers, and thick, soft fur, somewhat thicker in winter than in summer.

The upper part of the body is brown, sometimes with a yellow or red tinge; the under-parts range from white to cream coloured.

It has a prehensile tail which is usually bicoloured and furless at the tip.

The Mouse's rather broad feet are adapted specifically for climbing, with a somewhat opposable, large outermost toe, allowing it to grip stems with each hindfoot and its tail, thus freeing the Mouse's forepaws for food collection.

Its tail is also used for balance.