Short Description
The bank vole is reddish. Its flanks are lighter and the underside of its abdomen sometimes yellowish. The eyes are comparatively large. The ears protrude from the fur. The relatively long tail is hairy at the end and is darker above than below.
Features
Bank vole
Myodes glareolus
reddish fur
long, hairy tail
In the city
The bank vole prefers beech and mixed forests, hedges, bushes and wetlands. It also often settles near watercourses. It also likes to live in gardens near forests. There, for example, it builds its nests in little-used barns and sheds. Evidence of this includes leaves, dry moss and twigs laid by the bank vole.
Fun Facts
By means of scent markings, bank voles can distinguish neighbours from strangers and recognise their own kin.
They have a varied diet depending on what is available and are considered adaptable.
The mating season varies depending on the food supply and environmental conditions.
They are skilled climbers and can also be found at heights of up to five metres.
- Endangerment level Germany: not endangered
Sources
Habitus , Evan James Shymko, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BankVole.jpg
Habitus , Andreas Eichler, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2012.05.02.-g-17-Odenwald_Schannenbach-Roetelmaus.jpg
Jenrich, J., Löhr, P.-W. & Müller, F. (2010) Kleinsäuger. Körper- und Schädelmerkmale, Ökologie. Beiträge zur Naturkunde in Osthessen, Verein für Naturkunde in Osthessen e.V. (eds.), Fulda: Michael Imhof Verlag.
Quéré, J. P. & Le Louarn, H. (2011) Les rongeurs de France: Faunistique et biologie, Versailles: Editions Quae.
Page „Rötelmaus“. : Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Date of last revision: 12.10.2017, 11:55 UTC. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=R%C3%B6telmaus&oldid=169922287 (Accessed: 13.11.2017).
Klawitter, J., Altenkamp, R., Kallasch, C., Köhler, D., Krauß, M., Rosenau, S. & Teige, T. (2005) Rote Liste und Gesamtartenliste der Säugetiere (Mammalia) von Berlin. : Der Landesbeauftragte für Naturschutz und Landschaftspflege / Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung (eds.) Rote Listen der gefährdeten Pflanzen und Tiere von Berlin, URL: https://www.berlin.de/sen/uvk/natur-und-gruen/naturschutz/artenschutz/artenlisten-rote-listen/saeugetiere/ (Accessed: 30.03.2021).
Shore, R. F. & Hare, E. J. (2008) Bank vole Myodes glareolus. : Harris, S. & Yalden, D. W. (eds.) Mammals of the British Isles, London: The Mammal Society, 88-99.
Stehr, H. (1982) Rötelmaus. Das moderne Tierlexikon. volume 9, Gütersloh: Verlagsgruppe Bertelsmann.
Burkhardt, J. & Schlund, W. (2005) Rötelmaus Clethrionomys glareolus (Schreber, 1780). : Braun, M. & Dieterlen, F. (eds.) Die Säugetiere Baden-Württembergs. volume 2, Stuttgart: Verlag Eugen Ulmer, 289-296.