The Star-Nosed Mole

Jan 14, 2010

By Lorraine Julien

After the first week of December, anyone living north of Highway 7 had loads of snow, then an ice storm and the snow continues to fall. While our snowy world may seem, on the surface, to lack animal activity, keep in mind there can be a beehive of activity under that crusty surface. Just think of all the little creatures that live, eat and survive quite nicely under the protective snow cover. After a fresh snowfall, some of the first tracks we see are the tiny footprints of mice, squirrels, rabbits, etc. as they venture out.

As the snow cover deepens, and on milder days, we notice little tunnels along the snow banks near our bird feeder. These tunnels are mainly made by mice, but moles are also active in the winter. I know that our cat loves to sit near the openings for hours on a sunny winter day just waiting for a hapless creature to poke its nose out. So far she has only caught mice!

One of the most peculiar of the tunnel dwellers is the Star-nosed Mole, one of seven species of moles we have in eastern North America. Although it may be strange looking, Mother Nature has designed this mole perfectly to survive, whether above or below ground, or even in the water!

The Star-nosed Mole is a very interesting creature with a slender nose ending in a crudely star-shaped growth – a hairless disk surrounded by 22 symmetrically arranged pink, fleshy tentacles. Essentially blind, the Star-nosed Mole constantly waves the sensitive feelers around foraging for food.

The black, furry body can be 6-8” long with a 2-3” tail. During late winter and early spring, the tail thickens to the size of a pencil with stored fat – most likely a food reserve for the breeding season.

Unlike other moles, Star-noses live in small colonies, with couples pairing off in the fall, remaining together until the birth of their young in the spring. The babies’ stars are clearly visible at birth.

The Star-nosed Mole is less subterranean than most moles and makes runways on top of the ground or snow as well as beneath. All moles are highly adapted for digging – they have powerful shoulder muscles and broad forefeet armed with long flattened claws. The twisted palms face outward, making it easier to shovel aside soil. Their cylindrical bodies (tapered at both ends) are well designed to travel forward or backward through their underground tunnels. Even their ears are only holes in their heads – outer flaps would just get in the way!

The Star-nose is an excellent diver and swimmer, using its paddle-like feet to propel it forward and its tail as a rudder. It is as much at home in the water as on land and often tunnels into shoreline banks a foot or so under the water.

Amazingly, they can even smell under water! It is apparently done by exhaling air bubbles onto objects or trails and then inhaling the bubbles to carry scents back through the nose. Even in winter, the Star-nose is still active, roaming on or under the ice in search of insects, aquatic worms, crayfish, etc. which make up most of its diet.

Predators include the Great Horned Owl, Red-tailed Hawk, various skunks and weasels, and even large fish.

Reminder: Please remember to put some food out for our feathered friends – black oiled sunflower, niger and mixed bird seed, or bread scraps, stale cereal, etc. The woodpeckers, in particular, love to feast on suet cakes. Chickadees, nuthatches and jays will clean up solidified bacon fat left over from your bacon and eggs. Just scrape it anywhere on the edge of the feeder and it’s usually cleaned up the same day. (I would not do this in any other season because of bears though!)

Please feel free to report any observations to Lorraine Julien at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or Steve Blight at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.