Voles are small mammals often mistaken for mice or moles. This common confusion stems from their size and general appearance, prompting questions about their classification and identity.
Key Characteristics of Rodents
The order Rodentia represents the largest group of mammals, characterized by specific dental features. All rodents possess a single pair of continuously growing incisors in both their upper and lower jaws. These chisel-shaped teeth require constant gnawing to prevent overgrowth and maintain sharpness. Their unique structure, with harder enamel on the front and softer dentine on the back, allows them to self-sharpen. Rodents generally exhibit robust bodies, short limbs, and tails of varying lengths, adapting to diverse environments worldwide.
Voles: Members of the Rodent Order
Voles are rodents, falling within the family Cricetidae, which also includes hamsters and lemmings. Their classification is clear due to their defining dental structure, featuring continuously growing incisors, which they use for gnawing on plant material. Voles typically have a stout body, short legs, and a tail shorter than their head and body length. Their small eyes and ears, often partially hidden by their dense, coarse fur, contribute to their compact appearance.
Voles are often called “meadow mice” or “field mice” because of their mouse-like appearance. They range in size, generally measuring between 3 to 9 inches (8 to 23 cm) in length, including their short, furred tail. Their fur color can vary from blackish-brown to grayish-brown, with some species displaying reddish or chestnut hues. Voles are herbivores, primarily consuming grasses, roots, bulbs, and tree bark.
Distinguishing Voles from Other Small Mammals
Voles are frequently mistaken for other small mammals like mice, shrews, and moles, yet distinct differences exist in their appearance, behavior, and biological classification. While mice are also rodents, they typically have more slender bodies, larger ears, more prominent eyes, and tails that are often as long as or longer than their bodies. Voles, in contrast, have a stockier build, shorter tails, and smaller, less conspicuous ears and eyes. Mice are also more likely to inhabit human structures, whereas voles primarily remain outdoors in grassy areas.
Shrews and moles belong to different orders and are not rodents. Shrews, classified under Soricidae, are insectivores, meaning their diet mainly consists of insects, worms, and other invertebrates. They possess a pointed snout and very small, visible eyes, but lack the enlarged front feet seen in moles.
Moles, belonging to the family Talpidae, are also insectivores adapted for a subterranean lifestyle. They are easily identified by their large, paddle-shaped front feet, nearly invisible eyes and ears, and an elongated snout. Unlike voles, moles create raised mounds of soil as they tunnel, and their diet consists of grubs and earthworms rather than plant material.