Summary ²

House mice, Mus musculus, are found on all continents except Antarctica. They are distributed throughout the state of California and typically reside near and inside man-made structures, as well as forest, shrub, and riparian habitats (1). House mice are small rodents characterized by their large ears and long, scaly tails. Their fur ranges between light brown, dark brown, gray, and black, with a lighter underside (2)(3). Body length is between 6.5 and 9.5 cm (2.6–3.7 in) (3).

House mice will eat essentially any edible material, especially food waste, but in the wild they mainly consume seeds, leaves, roots, fruits, and insects (1)(2). Nesting occurs in the walls of human structures, in rocks, or in complex burrows (3). House mice rarely stray far from human habitations, spending colder seasons primarily inside and residing outside in warmer months (1). House mice are usually nocturnal and active year round (1)(3).

Coal Oil Point Reserve Facts ²

At Coal Oil Point Reserve, house mice tend to occupy the dune, grassland, coastal scrub, and woodland habitats. They are common at the reserve.

References ²

1. California Wildlife Habitat Relationships System. (1988-1990). Life history account for House Mouse. California Department of Fish and Wildlife. https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=2553
2. Jameson, E. W., Jr., & Peeters, H. J. (2004). Mammals of California (Revised ed.). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
3. Ballenger, L. (1999). Mus musculus. Animal Diversity Web. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Mus_musculus/

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Roberto Ghiglia, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Roberto Ghiglia
2. (c) copr, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

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