Brush Mouse - Density and Home Range

Density and Home Range

Kalcounis-Ruppell discovered brush mouse population densities were 40–72 mice per hectare in coastal California. Similarly, Kalcounis-Ruppell and Millar determined that densities of brush mice in coastal California were 42–89 mice per hectare. Brush mouse densities appear greatly influenced by weather. Densities were 17–20 per acre one year, but were reduced to 6 mice per acre following a severe winter. At another study site, brush mice increased from 4 individuals per acre to 12 per acre after a mild winter. Populations in a canyon in Mexico were estimated at a mean of 10.8 brush mice per acre or 6.0 males and 4.8 females per acre. The range was 9–14 brush mice per acre.

A study utilizing radiotelemetry and trapping data in Arizona estimated mean home range size for male brush mice at 0.72–1.6 acres (0.29–0.64 hectare), and 0.32–0.79 acre (0.13–0.32 hectare) for females. In another study at the same location, home ranges for male brush mice ranged from means of 1.2–1.5 acres (0.47–0.62 hectare) and for females, means of 0.64–1.2 acres (0.26–0.49 hectare). Mean home range for male and female brush mice in Arizona, based on radiotelemetry, was 0.30 acre (0.12 hectare).