Mink, ermine or weasel? We can help you tell the difference
Although creatures in the weasel family are often just called weasels, they are actually split up into a variety of species. You might be seeing an ermine, otherwise known as a stoat or short-tailed weasel, (Mustela erminea), the least weasel (Mustela nivalis) or a mink (Mustela vison).
opens IMAGE file Ermine
If you see one, though, how do you know which one you’re seeing?
Tail
Ermines can easily be identified by the black tip on their tail. It is most noticeable when they have white winter coloring, but it also exists with its brown summer coat.
opens IMAGE file Ermine, photo by Steven Hint, via Wikimedia Commons
The least weasel, which is becoming ever-increasingly rare in Iowa, and the mink both lack a black tail tip.
opens IMAGE file Least weasel, photo by Keven Law, via Wikimedia Commons
Mink and ermine both have a tail that is about a third of their body length, whereas the least weasel’s tail is a little bit shorter — about a quarter of its body length.
Size
Mink are generally larger than other weasels. Mink average 13-18 inches long and weigh up to 3 pounds, whereas ermine weigh 0.2-0.3 pounds and least weasels weigh 1-2 ounces.
Color
Mink can be brown or black, but many mink in Iowa are black year-round. An ermine is dark brown in summer with a white belly, feet and a white line down its hind leg. It turns white in the winter. The least weasel has a reddish brown back, sides, tail and top of head with white underparts. It also turns white in the winter.
Habitat
Although mink, ermine and weasels all like to live in bottomlands, mink always live near water. They have semi-webbed feet that make them great swimmers.
opens IMAGE file Mink, photo by Steven Hint, via Wikimedia Commons
Check out some of our other blogs that help you differentiate between creatures:
Chorus frogs vs. leopard frogs
Coyotes vs. wolves
Osprey vs. bald eagles
Moth vs. butterfly
Finches
WOW, I didn’t think cats could kill weasels. I grew up on a farm and weasels killed our chickens and our cats didn’t get them. Maybe easier prey. We never feed our cats. Belief was if you fed cats they wouldn’t mouse. Here in Dallas we have coyotes now and they eat cars. Didn’t think they could catch or would eat cats but they are resourceful.
Just found an ermine in the snow on our walkway- cat probably brought home
Sodus NY
A first since living here (1983- now)
Just found an ermine….white with black tail….in my laundry room that the cat killed. How it got into the house is a mystery. I live west of Helena, MT in a area surrounded by forest lands, ranches and a nice size reservoir. This is the first time I seen one of these.
Me too! There is an active one in my kitchen right now. Way smarter than mice, so my cats are figuring out what to do about it. Currently, it seems to be hiding behind the dish washer. We have seen field weasels here in Troy, ID before, but I have never seen a white ermine. They have a super musky smell I am not happy about!
My cat killed a weasel & left it on our door step yesterday, we live in central Idaho on the upper Salmon river.
My dog just brought home an Ermine.. 12/7/19 upper Michigan
Our cat killed an animal that looks exactly like a least weasel. It is the second one we have seen this year and have never seen one before in the 11 years of living here. We are in Helena,Montana and just wondered if anyone else has this experience.