White-footed Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) Measurements: Front Track: 6 (L) x 6 (W)mm Rear Track: 16 x 8mm Trail Width: 3.8cm Stride (slow bound): 8.7cm

White-footed mouse bounding through dry sand.  This mouse was headed toward the right of the screen, as the tail drag to the left of the two foot impressions indicates.  All four feet actually landed in these two foot impressions, but caving in of the dry sand yields only two impressions.  If this were a meadow jumping mouse, the tail drag would be longer.  House mice, other Peromyscus, and golden mice would leave similar tracks.

This is the scratch mark from a white-footed mouse running forward suddenly.  Found in the prescence of pouncing fox or bobcat tracks, the scenario would be easily interpereted.

These Peromyscus tracks show a  bounding  pattern often used by rodents.  Both of the front tracks are toward the right of the screen, and the rear tracks are at the left of the screen.  This mouse was moving toward the left of the screen.

 

Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus hudsonius) rear left track.

 

Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus) hind foot.  Notice the texture of the toe pads.	Hispid cotton rat, showing a walking gait toward the left hand side of the screen.  Please notice the tail drag in the center of the tracks.
This red-winged blackbird nest was roofed over by a small rodent, which used it as a nest.

 

Muskrat (Ondatra zibethica) Front Track Showing 4 evenly spaced toes. Measurements: Front Track:  2.5 (L) x 2.5 (W)cm Rear Track: 6.5 x 6.5cm Trail Width: 8.8 cm Stride: 12 cm

Rear track of a marsh rice rat (Oryzomys palustris).

 

Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) Rear track showing only about half of the heel pad. Shows 5 toes (3 middle toes grouped together). Measurements: Front track:  Rear track: 4.5(L) x 2.4(W) cm Stride (bounding): 28 cm (highly variable with speed) Trail Width: 8.3 cm

Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) Front track Notice how round and smooth the lines are on  this track as compared to the track on the left. This gives the track a more cat-like appearance. In order to distinguish squirrel tracks, look for  the bounding pattern and nearby tracks that have a more irregular appearance as in the rear track  on the left of the screen.

 

Beaver (Castor canadensis)  Front Track

Beaver Rear Track