Help me identify these tracks

[turtlehead]

I found these tracks in the snow yesterday. Looks like two foot spaces with some tail action going on.



There is a penny beside the track for scale. Some snow has caved in on top of the penny. There is a rock and some dead leaves showing too.

Here is a series of three tracks, so you can see how they´re spaced.



The penny is beside the track in the center, and two other tracks are visible on either side of the center one. Any ideas?

[gone-a-milkin]

A little mouse.

[Paquebot]

Looks like a kangaroo mouse. They only hop with their hind legs. If you've got them in your area, that's probably it.

Martin

[||Downhome||]

bird of some sort

[gone-a-milkin]

I have seen regular mice hop in the snow. I imagine it is hard for them to walk normally with those little tiny legs?

[Paquebot]

A regular mouse may hop but will land on all 4 feet. Kangaroo mouse tracks would show only the feet and tail. Hind foot track would be about ½" long.

Martin

[turtlehead]

Not a kangaroo mouse. They are desert critters and we live in central WV.

Any bird tracks I've ever seen clearly show the toes. I've not seen any birds that just make little round dots with their feet. Not saying it isn't a bird, just that I've not yet seen any that do this.

They sure are a mystery. Hub says a cobra pulling himself along by his teeth

[||Downhome||]

most mice and little rodents in my neck of the woods stay under the snow if they can.
much safer and thats where the food is.

also dosnt really look like a real good tracking snow to me though, had some simular tracks off my porch the other day and it perplexed me too, but then I noticed they started up in one spot and left off in another and birds are one of the only critters I know that fly.

[Paquebot]

We're not supposed to have kangaroo mice in Wisconsin but do. But then, we've also got prickly pear cactus which is supposed to be a desert plant.

Whatever you have has a narrow tail which is probably hairless. You can also see the marks of the flanks. That should give you an idea of the width of the animal.

Martin

[fishhead]

A rodent that is hopping on it's back legs is my guess.

[FarmerChick]

bird

birds hop and when in deep snow they do curl toes

[uncle Will in In.]

Yes its a bird. They are called mugwumps. They sit on tree limb with their mug on one side, and their wump on the other side.

[Ed Norman]

Juvenile chupacabra.

[FarmerChick]

HA HA HA
LOL

funny post

[digApony]

small, baby snowshoe rabbit... hopping on his hind... looks to me

[turtlehead]

You guys are Soooooo helpful, lol.

Nobody is voting for the cobra idea?
DH also suggested a hexaplegic spider...

[fishhead]

Jumping mice. You have 2 species in WV.

http://www.wvdnr.gov/Wildlife/PDFFil...lsbrochure.pdf

[FarmerChick]

horseshoe crab?

[digApony]

three blind mice...


okay I'll go away! Very intriguing though

[rscheiderer]

I thought jumping mice hibernated.