Husmår

Did you know that the house marten's footprints can be difficult to know in winter? This is because the house marten in winter has long fur on its paws, which can completely cover the foot pads. 

HUSMÅR

Family: Raccoon Family 

Weight: 1.0-2.3 kg 

Lifestyle: Solitary and territorial.

Diet: Primarily small rodents, birds and bird eggs

The house marten is common in Denmark, but not in the rest of Scandinavia. Denmark is the northernmost point in the house marten's distribution area. 

The house marten lives in many different terrains, including small forests, open areas, cultivated land, and in built-up areas. It thus rarely moves in the same areas as its close relative, the wood marten.

The house marten is also often unpopular among humans, as they sometimes move in. Especially in holiday home areas or other quiet, built-up areas, they move into attics and under terraces. 

Similar to

The house marten is confusingly similar to the wood marten, but one clear difference is the neck spot of the house marten and the wood marten. In contrast to the yellow spot of the wood marten, the neck spot of the house marten is completely white and can spread down the front legs. 

You can also tell the house marten from the wood marten by its snout, as the house marten's snout is light and the wood marten's is black.

Delayed pregnancy 

House martens are typically solitary animals that live on their own outside the mating season. Both males and females defend their own territories. The territory of males is typically larger than that of females and overlaps the territory of several females. Like the wood marten, the house marten has delayed gestation, which means that after mating, the fertilized egg lies dormant for several months until the gestation period begins. Only when the egg is no longer dormant does fetal development begin.