Northern Birch Mouse

The northern birch mouse (Sicista betulina) is a small rodent about 5 to 8 cm (2.0 to 3.1 in) long (without the tail), weighing 5 to 13 g (0.18 to 0.46 oz). It lives in northern Europe and Asia in forest and marsh zones. It hibernates in burrows. It eats shoots, grains, berries, and sometimes insects. == Description == The northern birch mouse is a small mouse with a relatively long tail. The adult head and body length is 2 to 3 in (51 to 76 mm) with a tail of 3 to 4.25 in (76 to 108 mm). Adults vary in weight between 5 and 13 g (0.2 and 0.5 oz). The upper parts are yellowish-grey with a brown sheen and the underparts are a pale greyish-yellow. A black stripe runs along the spine from the head to the base of the tail. Its voice is a high-pitched whistle. == Distribution and habitat == The northern birch mouse occurs in Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe, and Northern Asia. Its main range extends from the Baltic region, Poland and the Czech Republic eastwards as far as Lake Baikal in Siberia, and from the Arctic Circle southwards to the Carpathians. Isolated…