Eyes are small and ears barely project above the fur. Hind feet are webbed at the base of the toes rather than completely like the beaver.
Color is dark blackish brown on top, lighter on the sides, even lighter underneath.
Muskrats are found throughout North America, except for parts of California, Texas, and the southeast. They live in slow-running water such as marshes, streams, poonds, and lakes. They prefer bank burrows, but sometimes build a house out of vegetation within the water. Such houses consist of a huge conical pile of grass, roots, and stems. The piles are often many feet high.