Field vole (Microtus agrestis)
	Description	Grey/brown fur with creamy/grey below. Round face, small ears and eyes, short tail. Head and body length 90-115mm with weights between 20-40g.
	Life cycle	Life expectancy is less than one year. 5-6 litters of 4-5 young are born annually between March and December. Field voles are mainly diurnal.
	Habitat	Un-grazed grassland, also woodland, hedgerows and moorland. Make nests of shredded grass above ground, or construct burrows or nest under surface objects such as sheets of corrugated iron.
	Diet	Grass.
	Status
	Reserve	1998 census showed breeding populations of field voles confined to the western half of the reserve. To see a copy of a small mammal study carried out in 2001, click here:
	Britain	Pre-breeding population estimated at 75,000,000, declining due to habitat loss and competition from rabbits.