U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Missisquoi

National Wildlife

Refuge

Mammals
Missisquoi is one of over 500

refuges in the National Wildlife

Refuge System administered by

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The National Wildlife Refuge

System is a network of lands and

waters managed specifically for

the protection of wildlife and

wildlife habitat and represents the

most comprehensive wildlife

management program in

the world. Units of the system

stretch across the United States

from northern Alaska to the

Florida Keys and include

small islands in the Caribbean

and South Pacific. The character

of the refuges is as diverse as the

nation itself.

The Service also manages

national fish hatcheries, and

provides federal leadership in

habitat protection, technical

assistance, and the conservation

and protection of migratory birds,

certain marine mammals and

threatened and endangered

species.
Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge

is approximately 50 miles north of

Burlington in Franklin County,

Vermont. It is located on the eastern

shore of Lake Champlain near the

Canadian border with the

headquarters on Highway 78, two

miles northwest of Swanton.

The 6,517-acre refuge encompasses

nearly all of the Missisquoi River

delta. About one-third of the area is

swamp dominated by silver maple.

The woodlands also contain red

maple, American elm, white ash, and

white oak. Bulrush, wild rice, sedge,

spikerush, burreed, and

pickerelweed are the most common

marsh plants, but many shrubs, such

as willow, alder, sweet gale,

hardhack, and buttonbush grow

where the water is shallowest.

Although the refuge was established

primarily for waterfowl, many

species of mammals are present.

Among the most readily observed

are white-tailed deer, muskrat,

raccoon, and red and gray squirrels.

Some, because of their size or habits,

are less likely to be seen.

The following list of 35 mammals has

been prepared by refuge personnel

from observations made over the

years. The hypothetical listing of

bats based on reported range was

submitted by Dr. Robert Fuller,

University of Vermont.

Introduction
Common over most of the

refuge. Digs tunnels and uses

burrows of other species,

especially voles. Feeds mainly

on insects, plants, worms, snails,

and small vertebrates.

Found throughout the area in

damp meadows and woods with

moist soils. An excellent

swimmer, its diet consists of

aquatic insects, earthworms,

crustaceans, snails, small fish,

and small amounts of vegetable

material. Its eyesight is poor

and the projections on its nose

are sensitive feelers, helping it

locate its prey.

This list is based on reported

ranges. The following probably

occur on Missisquoi National

Wildlife Refuge.

Little Brown Myotis

(Myotis lucifugus)

Big Brown Bat

(Eptesicus fuscus)

Keen’s Myotis

(Myotis keenii)

Small-footed Myotis

(Myotis leibii)

Silver-haired Bat

(Lasionycteris noctivagans)

Red Bat

(Lasiurus borealis)

Hoary Bat

(Lasiurus cinereus)

Eastern Pipistrelle

(Pipistrellus subflavus)

Shorttail Shrew

(Blarina

brevicauda)

Starnose Mole

(Condylura

cristata)

Bats
Present in small numbers in brushy

areas, old fields, woods, cultivated

areas, thickets, and brush piles.

During cold weather will take shelter

in abandoned woodchuck burrows.

Feeds on green vegetation in

summer, bark and twigs in winter.

Eastern Cottontail

(Sylvilagus

floridanus)

Snowshoe Hare

(Lepus

americanus)

Eastern Chipmunk

(Tamias striatus)

Gray Squirrel

(Sciurus

carolinensis)

Red Squirrel

(Tamiasciurus

hudsonicus)

Present in small numbers in brush

and second growth hardwood stands

on the mainland portion of the

refuge. Feeds mainly at twilight and

evening; in summer on clover,

grasses and ferns; in winter on twigs,

buds, and the bark of small trees and

seedlings. Young are born with dense

fur and open eyes.

Present in small numbers in the drier

woodlands that have dense

undergrowth. Feeds on seeds, nuts,

fruits, bulbs, and insects.

In small numbers where there is

mast-producing timber. Tall trees are

used for dens or leaf nests. Their diet

consists of nuts, buds, seeds, grains,

fungi, fruits, bird eggs, and inner

bark of trees.

Found throughout most wooded

areas but not common. Prefers to

nest in natural cavity or abandoned

woodpecker hole. They may
construct globular leaf nests near

treetops or use ground burrows.

They prefer a conifer woodland

because their diet is partially made

up of seeds of conifer cones. They

also eat nuts, buds, fruits,

sap, flowers, fungi,

bird eggs, and

nestlings.

They are an

important

food

source

for

hawks

and owls.

Present throughout wooded

portions. Favors cool, heavily wooded

conifer and deciduous forests.

Summer nest may be on a limb next

to a tree trunk and winter nest is in a

cavity. They often use old

woodpecker holes. They eat nuts,

seeds, catkins, fruits, buds, insects,

mushrooms, bird eggs, and nestlings.

Very common in and around open

fields and agricultural lands. Digs

extensive systems of burrows

including hibernation and nest

chambers. Prefers green vegetation

such as herbs and grasses.

Common along streams bordering

and coursing through the refuge.

Beaver are most often observed

during evening hours along the

Missisquoi River, Dead Creek, and

the Black and Maquam Creek Trail.

Beaver build dams to flood areas

where they feed and construct

lodges. The water areas created by

beaver dams benefit waterfowl,

marsh birds, and other mammals.

The den is enclosed in a large lodge

made of mud and sticks and is used

for raising young and providing

winter shelter. Burrows dug in banks

are also used as dens. The beaver

consumes bark of deciduous trees

Northern Flying

Squirrel

(Glaucomys

sabrinus)

Woodchuck

(Marmota

monax)

Beaver

(Castor

canadensis)
and is particularly fond of swamp

white oak and birch. Food is stored

under the ice for winter use.

Common over much of the refuge.

They feed on seeds, acorns, nuts,

fruits, tender green plants, insects,

and small amounts of carrion.

Very common in the meadows and

fields. Diet consists of grasses, bulbs,

seeds, grains, and small amounts of

carrion. Nests in sheltered areas

under rocks and logs and builds

extensive tunnel systems. Females

are very prolific, capable of

producing a hundred young within a

year. They are an important food

source for birds of prey and small

carnivorous mammals.

Seen frequently in all water areas.

The muskrat uses cattails, burreed,

arrowhead, wild rice, cutgrass,

bulrushes, pondweeds, water lilies,

and other marsh plants for food and

houses, creating openings in the

dense marsh vegetation. The

openings provide habitat for

waterfowl. Ducks and geese use the

muskrat houses for nesting sites.

Muskrats are mainly nocturnal, but

may be seen in daylight. They are

active throughout the year.

Present mainly along the Missisquoi

River, but occasionally found in

marshes. They are omnivorous and

will consume fruits, grains,

vegetables, carrion and fresh meats,

and garbage.

The few porcupines present are

confined to an area in the West

Swanton section of the refuge where

there are small, scattered hemlock

stands. Den sites are in protected

places such as rock ledges, trees, and

abandoned fox or beaver dens. They

eat herbaceous and woody

vegetation, grasses, leaves, twigs,

mast and bark.

White-footed

Mouse

(Peromyscus

leucopus)

Meadow Vole

(Microtus

pennsylvanicus)

Muskrat

(Ondatra

zibethicus)

Norway Rat

(Rattus

norvegicus)

Porcupine

(Erethizon

dorsatum)
A few present but seldom seen. Have

been seen along Tabor Road. Den is

usually an excavated burrow, well

hidden by vegetation or rock. They

are omnivorous and will consume

carrion, small mammals, and

vegetation.

Coyote

(Canis latrans)

Red Fox

(Vulpes vulpes)

Not numerous but may be seen

occasionally over most of the refuge

except where limited by water.

Prefers to use existing burrows for

rearing young and escaping from

predators, but will dig dens. Preys

mainly on small mammals and birds,

insects, carrion, and fruits.
Common throughout the refuge.

Dens are usually located in trees but

culverts, abandoned woodchuck

burrows, and other protected areas

are also used. They are omnivorous

and will consume fruits, insects,

crayfish, buds, seeds, grass, and

garbage. Primarily nocturnal but

may be seen in daylight.

An occasional visitor. Dens in hollow

trees, logs, or abandoned porcupine

dens. Fishers are one of the few

predators that prey on porcupines.

Shrews, mice, squirrels, toads,

berries, nuts, and carrion are also

included in their diet.

Present in small

numbers in wooded

areas. Eats mice,

chipmunks, moles,

shrews, and

occasionally birds and

insects. Molts to white

in winter.

Present in small

numbers in drier

sections. Dens in

natural holes or

crevices or excavated

burrows. Feeds

primarily on small

mammals, ground

nesting birds and

insects.

Present but not numerous.

Favors forested wetlands. Dens

inside hollow logs, natural cavities

under tree roots or in burrows along

streams. They are excellent

swimmers and prey on both aquatic

and terrestrial animals, including

muskrats, fish, rabbits, and snakes.

Raccoon

(Procyon lotor)

Fisher

(Martes pennanti)

Shorttail Weasel

(Mustela

erminea)

Longtail Weasel

(Mustela frenata)

Mink

(Mustela vison)
Occasionally seen on drier areas of

the refuge. Dens may be in

abandoned burrows, stone walls, rock

crevices, and stumps. The diet of the

skunk includes small rodents, bird

eggs, fruits, grains, nuts, grasses,

berries, insects, garbage and carrion.

Striped Skunk

(Mephitis

mephitis)

River Otter

(Lutra

canadensis)

Bobcat

(Lynx rufus)

Frequently seen in the Missisquoi

River, Maquam Creek, and Charcoal

Creek. Den may be in an abandoned

beaver lodge or muskrat house,

dense thickets bordering water, or

under fallen trees. Diet consists of

fish, frogs, turtles, snakes, and birds.

An occasional visitor. Prefers to den

in rock crevices, under fallen trees,

or in hollow logs. Most prey is taken

by stalking. Diet consists of small

mammals such as snowshoe hares,

cottontails, squirrels, mice, voles,

birds and their eggs, snakes, fish,

insects, and some vegetation. Will

also eat dead animals if the meat is

fresh.
White-tailed Deer

(Odocoileus

virginianus)

Frequently seen over entire refuge.

Preferred habitat is forest edges,

swamp borders, areas interspersed

with fields, and woodland openings.

Deer browse on woody deciduous

plants, twigs, and young bark. They

graze on grasses, herbs, berries, and

mushrooms.

A rare visitor. Moose are found in

forests with lakes and swamps. They

feed primarily on aquatic vegetation

in summer and browse on many

woody plants in winter, including

twigs, barks and saplings. Since 1994,

moose have been seen with increased

frequency on the refuge.

Moose

(Alces alces)
Missisiquoi National Wildlife Refuge

P.O. Box 163

Swanton, Vermont 05488

Telephone: 802/868 4781

Fax: 802/868 2379

Email: r5rw_msqnwr@mail.fws.gov

Hearing impaired visitors may call the

Vermont Relay Service at 1 800/253 0191 or

TDD/800 253 0195

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

1 800/344 WILD

http://www.fws.gov/

July 1999

printed on recycled paper with vegetable based inks

cover photo: George Gentry