North of the tree line, there are not enough warm months to grow any trees at all. Heather voles live in all forests, at the edge of woodlands, and in uphill 'heaths'. Heaths are places where only grasses, mosses, and bushes grow. The heather vole builds a nest of grass in thick grass or under stones. Sometimes it uses the burrow left by another small mammal to hide its nest.
Heather voles have a brief chase for a courtship.
Then the males and females mate. After only 19 to 24 days, two to eight blind, hairless young are born. There are usually five young born. The young weigh only 2.4 g and feed from eight teats on their mother's belly. Their eyes open at 14 days.