Mammals of Kansas

ORDER / Family Common Name Species Status Distribution ASM Slide Library # * Mamm. Species # Comments
DIDELPHIMORPHIA              
Didelphidae Virginia opossum Didelphis virginiana common statewide 4(W), 630, 828(B), 829(B), 830(B) 40 nocturnal
INSECTIVORA              
Soricidae Elliot's short-tailed shrew Blarina hylophaga common eastern 1/2, north 1/2     venomous; active day and night
  Least shrew Cryptotis parva common northern 1/5, southeast 9/10 957 43 active day and night
  Desert Shrew Notiosorex crawfordi possible southwest 1/12   17 prefers semidesert scrub
  Hayden's shrew Sorex haydeni uncommon north-central edge     some scientists classify as S. cinereus; may be found in drier habitats than most of its relatives
Talpidae Eastern mole Scalopus aquaticus common statewide 647(C), 648(S) 105 fossorial
CHIROPTERA              
Molossidae Brazilian free-tailed bat Tadarida brasiliensis common statewide 729 331 tail not enclosed by membrane
  Big free-tailed bat Nyctinomops macrotis rare southwest & southeast corners 891(F)   roosts in rock crevices on cliffs
Vespertilionidae Pallid bat Antrozous pallidus uncommon south-central edge 230(C) 213 readily alights on ground to feed
  Big brown bat Eptesicus fuscus common statewide 39(C), 223 356 active later than most hibernating species
  Silver-haired bat Lasionycteris noctivagans common statewide 658 172 roosts under bark and in hollow trees
  Red bat Lasiurus borealis common statewide 40, 655(C), 815(C) 183 broadest distribution of any new world bat; roosts in trees; interfemoral membrane heavily furred
  Hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus common statewide 41, 42, 656 185 roosts in trees; interfemoral membrane heavily furred
  Western small-footed myotis Myotis ciliolabrum uncommon western 1/10, northwest corner 226 547 occurs in rocky habitats
  Gray myotis Myotis grisescens endangered southeast corner 228   federally endangered
  Little brown myotis Myotis lucifugus common eastern 3/5 224, 225(G), 814(G) 142 frequents man-made structures
  Northern myotis Myotis septentrionalis common eastern 1/2 227 121 hibernates in caves and mines
  Indiana myotis Myotis sodalis possible southwest corner 391(P) 163 federally endangered
  Cave myotis Myotis velifer uncommon south-central 1/4   149 roosts in caves, mines, and buildings
  Yuma myotis Myotis yumanensis possible southwest corner     associated with well-watered habitats
  Evening bat Nycticeius humeralis uncommon eastern 1/2, central 232 23 frequently uses man-made structures
  Eastern pipistrelle Pipistrellus subflavus uncommon eastern 1/3, southeast 1/2 38, 654(C) 228 males significantly outnumber females in hibernaculum
  Rafinesque's big-eared bat Plecotus rafinesquii possible southeast corner 394(C) 69 hibernates in caves and mines
  Townsend's big-eared bat Plecotus townsendii common southwest 1/8 229(C) 175 hibernates in caves; cavernicolous
XENARTHRA              
Dasypodidae Nine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus uncommon northern 1/4, eastern 3/4, southern 1/8 53 162 expanding its range northward
LAGOMORPHA              
Leporidae Black-tailed jackrabbit Lepus californicus common statewide 60, 245(Y), 1347 530 presence is encouraged by heavy grazing
  White-tailed jackrabbit Lepus townsendii uncommon northwest 3/5 1189, 1349 288 does not do as well in cultivated areas as L. californicus
  Swamp rabbit Sylvilagus aquaticus uncommon southeast corner   151 swamp habitat
  Desert cottontail Sylvilagus audubonii uncommon western 1/3, southwest 1/4 59, 1188 106 moisture from food supplies needed water
  Eastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus common statewide 58, 953(Y) 136 restricted to riparian habitats
RODENTIA              
Castoridae Beaver Castor canadensis common statewide 247(H), 248(H), 408, 409(H), 410(H), 1239, 1316(H), 1317(H) 120 largest rodent in North America
Dipodidae Meadow jumping mouse Zapus hudsonius uncommon-common eastern 1/5   11 routinely leaps up to one meter
Erethizontidae Porcupine Erethizon dorsatum uncommon northern 1/4, western 4/5 83, 870(Y) 29 barbed quills; prefer wooded and forested areas
  Plains pocket gopher Geomys bursarius common statewide (except southeast corner) 690   highly fossorial; upper incisors grooved
Geomyidae Yellow-faced pocket gopher Pappogeomys castanops uncommon southwestern 1/4 691, 692(A) 338 highly fossorial; upper incisors have a single groove
Heteromyidae Hispid pocket mouse Chaetodipus hispidus uncommon western 7/8   320 seldom venture above ground in winter (each seed cache)
  Ord's kangaroo rat Dipodomys ordii common western 1/2 560, 693(S), 1099, 1352 353 can live indefinitely without water
  Plains pocket mouse Perognathus flavescens common western 3/4 694, 1337 525 prefers sandy soils with vegetative cover
  Silky pocket mouse Perognathus flavus uncommon western 1/2 562, 1182, 1338 471 least dependant on sand for dusting pelage (compared to other pocket mice)
Muridae Prairie vole Microtus ochrogaster common statewide 1160 355 inhabits tall-grass communities and upland habitats
  Meadow vole Microtus pennsylvanicus uncommon north-central 1/4 70 159 inhabits moist meadows, marshes, and riparian habitat
  Woodland vole Microtus pinetorum uncommon eastern 1/4   147 semifossorial
  House mouse Mus musculus introduced-common statewide 92, 754   from Europe; frequently associated with man-made structures
  Eastern woodrat Neotoma floridana common-uncommon northern 3/4, eastern 1/2 (except northeast corner) 1016 139 build large stick houses in rugged terrain
  Southern plains woodrat Neotoma micropus uncommon southwestern 1/4   330 fill depressions with material to create nest site
  Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus uncommon statewide 1162, 1163(S) 141 requires body of water
  Northern grasshopper mouse Onychomys leucogaster common-uncommon western 4/5 253(C), 1017, 1169 87 behavior similar to canids
  Texas mouse Peromyscus attwateri uncommon southwest corner   48 prefers brushy hillsides and ravines
  White-footed mouse Peromyscus leucopus common statewide 73, 1174 247 prefer habitats with three dimensional structure
  Deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatus common statewide 251(A), 1175   probably the most abundant vertebrate on the plains
  Norway rat Rattus norvegicus introduced-common statewide 755(W), 756(G), 757(B), 758   from Europe; possibly the most destructive of all mammals
  Black rat Rattus rattus introduced-uncommon southern 1/4 759, 760(B)   from Europe; displaced by the Norway rat
  Fulvous harvest mouse Reithrodontomys fulvescens uncommon southeast corner   174 almost exclusively nocturnal
  Western harvest mouse Reithrodontomys megalotis common northern 7/8 1018 167 strictly nocturnal
  Plains harvest mouse Reithrodontomys montanus uncommon-common statewide (except northeast corner)   257 does well in grazed rangeland
  Hispid cotton rat Sigmodon hispidus common statewide (except northwest corner) 76, 1177 158 neotropical species extending its range northward
  Southern bog lemming Synaptomys cooperi uncommon eastern 1/2 (small pop. in southwest corner) 682 210 burrow just above the water table near body of water; good swimmer
Myocastoridae Nutria Myocastor coypus accidental   1019 398 introduced for the fur trade
Sciuridae Black-tailed prairie dog Cynomys ludovicianus common western 3/5 105 535 keep vegetation surrounding burrows shortly cropped
  Southern flying squirrel Glaucomys volans uncommon eastern 1/4 1021, 1022(B) 78 highly arboreal; nocturnal; great gliders
  Woodchuck Marmota monax common eastern 1/3, southeast 1/2 107 591 hibernate 4 to 6 months per year
  Gray squirrel Sciurus carolinensis uncommon-common eastern 1/4 94, 95(P) 480 prefers dense woodland
  Fox squirrel Sciurus niger common statewide (except southwest corner) 96, 880 479 prefers open woodland
  Franklin's ground squirrel Spermophilus franklinii uncommon-common northeastern 3/4 104   occurs in tall-grass prairie
  Spotted ground squirrel Spermophilus spilisoma uncommon-common western 1/5   101 prefer sandy soils
  Thirteen-lined ground squirrel Spermophilus tridecemlineatus common statewide 103, 573(C), 103 abundant along rights-of-way and roadsides
  Eastern chipmunk Tamias striatus uncommon southeast and northeast corners 110, 259(AB) 168 does not occur in open country
CARNIVORA              
Canidae Coyote Canis latrans common statewide 256(C), 1126, 1127, 1267 79 benefiting from agricultural development
  Gray wolf Canis lupus extirpated   581, 1038(P), 1128 37 federally endangered; was once widespread in Nebraska
  Red wolf Canis rufus extirpated   264(C), 1292 22 intermediate in size between coyote and gray wolf
  Gray fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus common statewide (except southwest corner) 584 189 frequently climbs trees
  Swift fox Vulpes velox uncommon-common western 2/3 583(Y), 1208 122 most abundant on short-grass prairie
  Red fox Vulpes vulpes uncommon-common statewide 435(W), 436(Y), 582 537 may have been introduced
Felidae Mountain lion Felis concolor extirpated   275, 276, 586(C) 200 possible
  Bobcat Lynx rufus uncommon statewide 819, 1293 563 most abundant in areas with broken terrain which provides cover
Mustelidae River otter Lontra canadensis uncommon statewide 802(AC), 859(G) 587 play by sliding in mud, snow, wet grass, and ice
  Striped skunk Mephitis mephitis common statewide 280 173 commensal with man
  Long-tailed weasel Mustela frenata uncommon-common statewide 1348 570 males feed on mammals as large as snow shoe hares; females feed on mouse-sized rodents
  Black-footed ferret Mustela nigripes extirpated   128 126 federally endangered
  Least weasel Mustela nivalis uncommon northeastern 1/2 440(Y), 1214, 1350 454 smallest weasel in Kansas
  Mink Mustela vison uncommon statewide 1129 608 inhabits areas near water
  Western spotted skunk Spilogale gracilis possible southwest corner     stand on forelimbs and spray over their head at intruder
  Eastern spotted skunk Spilogale putorius threatened statewide     prefers forest edge habitat
  Badger Taxidea taxus common-uncommon statewide 701(C), 702(A), 703(H) 26 feed on any small mammal easily obtained
Procyonidae Raccoon Procyon lotor common statewide 140, 709(S) 119 does not wash food
  Ringtail Bassariscus astutus uncommon southeast-central, southwestern edge 858 327 tail is striped only on the dorsal surface
Ursidae Black bear Ursus americanus extirpated   142(C), 1132   occur in forested areas
  Grizzly bear Ursus arctos extirpated   455, 821(CB), 1008, 1271 439 feed primarily on carrion, fruits, fish, and burrowing mammals
ARTIODACTYLA              
Antilocapridae Pronghorn Antilocapra americana uncommon southwestern 1/2, western 1/6 166(M), 717(M), 718(F), 823(B) 90 fastest land animal in North America
Bovidae Bison Bison bison extirpated   167(M), 304(CM), 305(Y), 306(H), 719(W), 720, 1311(B), 1224, 1273, 1311(G) 266 important in shaping the plains
Cervidae Moose Alces alces accidental western 1/8, northwestern 1/4 192(M), 618(CM) 154 may wander in from Rocky Mountains
  American elk/Wapiti Cervus elaphus extirpated   189(W), 190(G), 318(Y), 809(FM), 863(M), 864(F), 1077(F), 1278   was once abundant along riparian habitat; reintroduced locally throughout state
  Mule deer Odocoileus hemionus common western 2/3 187(M), 475(Y), 476(F) 219 common in open country
  White-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus common statewide 185(F), 186(A), 803(M), 1279, 1313 388 most common at forest edge
               
Selected references              
Jones, J. K., Jr., D. M. Armstrong, and J. R. Choate. 1985. Guide to mammals of the plains states. Univ. of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, xvii + 371 pp.  
Jones, J. K., Jr., D. M. Armstrong, R. S. Hoffmann, and C. Jones. 1983. Mammals of the Northern Great Plains. Univ. of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, xii + 379 pp.  
               
* Slide symbols              
No symbol -- portrait              
A -- anatomical specialization              
B -- specialized behavior              
C -- close-up of head region              
F -- female, when sexes differ              
FM -- female(s) and male(s) shown when differences obvious              
G -- group              
H -- habitat or sign of animals activity              
M -- male, when sexes differ              
P -- unusual color phase              
S -- skull              
W -- female with young              
Y -- young, may be newborn              
               
               
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