Common Muskrat

Ondatra zibethicus

Common Muskrats eat so much marsh vegetation that they create open water and new habitat for waterfowl. These aquatic rodents build miniature lodges, like those of beavers, but use cattails instead of trees.

Look For : A glossy reddish- brown rodent with a long, pointed, almost hairless tail. Usually hunched up on the shoreline or swimming. Like a beaver, it cuts a V in the water with its head when swimming.

Length : Body 9-12" long, tail 7-12" long; 1-4 lb.

Habitat : Marshes, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams.

Range : Most of Canada and U.S., except for Arctic regions, much of California, Southwest, Texas, and Florida.