Weasels
I am fascinated by tiny predators. These mini but mighty critters, such as Elf Owls, Short-tailed Shrews, and American Kestrels, are very small in size and stature but are able to make a living by preying on smaller animals. Their ability to capture, neutralize, and overcome their prey is amazing, especially when you consider their tiny size.
One of the more amazing tiny predators is the weasel. There are three species of “true” weasel in America. Each one of them is very small and looks very similar. The smallest of these is the Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis). Not only is it the smallest, but it’s also the least common. It is found in much of the eastern half of the U.S. and into Canada and Alaska. And talk about tiny, this mighty little one is only 6-10 inches long, including the tail, and is considered one of the smallest carnivores alive. It weighs only 1-3 ounces, which would be the same weight as one slice of commercially produced bread.
The Short-tailed Weasel (Mustela erminea), sometimes also known as a Stoat or Ermine, is found in the western states and parts of the upper Midwest and New England. It is the next largest weasel. This one is 7-14 inches, including the 4-inch tail. It weighs between 2 and 6 ounces. A stick of butter is 4 ounces by comparison.
The Long-tailed Weasel (Mustela frenata) is the largest of our three weasel species. The long-tailed is 12-20 inches, which includes a 6-inch tail, hence the name, “long-tailed”. This weasel weighs up to 12 ounces. This would be about the weight of a can of soda.
Now for the confusing part. All of these critters are called different names around the world and also in different seasons. Yep, you read that right, they are called different names in different seasons. These weasels change color from summer to winter. During summer, they are brown with a white or yellow belly and legs and a black tip of the tail. During winter, they turn all white with a black tip to the tail. They are called Ermine in winter when they are pure white in color. When they are brown in summer, they are called stoats. Personally, I find these names difficult to understand and confusing, so I prefer to call them by their common name (see above).
Recently, during my winter Yellowstone Photo Tour, I watched a Red Fox pounce and kill a Long-tailed Weasel. I wrote about it in my last column. Watching a predator kill a predator makes you think about things differently.
We did have another encounter with a Long-tailed Weasel. My group of photographers was busy following a coyote that was running down a frozen river. The coyote was running from something or running towards something, and we wanted to find out, so we followed. Suddenly, the coyote turned off the frozen river and ran straight up a steep hillside in deep snow. The wind-blown snow slowed the coyote down enough to capture some fun action pictures. Within a minute or two, the coyote was over the hill and out of sight.
As we reflected on the events that just took place in front of us, one of the guests said she saw something moving on the hillside. As I turned, I immediately saw a Long-tailed Weasel in its pure white coat and black-tipped tail popping up out of the snow.
When these weasels are hunting, they move quickly and decisively. The snow on the hillside was deep enough for the weasel to dive into the snow and disappear, then pop up again, which made capturing images of this speedy critter difficult. At one point, it popped out of the snow and stood still long enough to get my camera to acquire focus. Suddenly, it took off running on top of the snow. As I followed with my camera, I was able to capture one of my favorite images of my 4-week-long trip to Yellowstone. Until next time…
About Stan
Stan Tekiela is an author, naturalist, and wildlife photographer who travels extensively to study and photograph wildlife. He can be followed on Instagram and Facebook. He can be contacted via his website at naturesmart.com.