Microtus agrestis; the Field Vole (Dog-mouse)
The field vole can be distinguished from its relative the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) by their longer fur as well as shorter tails & smaller ears. They prefer to live in grassy fields where they feed on vegetation with the occasional invertebrate larvae thrown in. They are widespread and common, though numbers are thought to have declined in the last century. Currently, the population is estimated at 75 million. In Cheshire, they appear to have declined especially on the Wirral peninsula just like the bank vole.
The field vole is a key prey species for a range of important predators such as the pine marten (Martes martes) and the barn owl (Tyto alba).
The field vole is a key prey species for a range of important predators such as the pine marten (Martes martes) and the barn owl (Tyto alba).