About Sicista betulina (Pallas, 1779)
The northern birch mouse (Sicista betulina (Pallas, 1779)) is a small mouse with a relatively long tail. Adult head and body length ranges from 2 to 3 inches (51 to 76 mm), and tail length ranges from 3 to 4.25 inches (76 to 108 mm). Adult weights vary between 0.2 and 0.5 ounces (5 and 13 g). This species has yellowish-grey upper fur with a brown sheen, and pale greyish-yellow fur on its underparts. A black stripe runs along the spine from the head to the base of the tail, and its voice is a high-pitched whistle. The northern birch mouse is found in Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe, and Northern Asia. Its main range extends east from the Baltic region, Poland and the Czech Republic to Lake Baikal in Siberia, and runs south from the Arctic Circle to the Carpathians. Isolated populations of this species exist in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Austria. Its natural habitats include coniferous forests, mixed deciduous woodland, marshy woodland, and damp bushy grassland. It is sometimes also found in cereal crops.
