American mink
Neovison vison

The American mink is a semiaquatic mammal that can be found in most of North America. This animal is a key predator of small mammals, fish, amphibians and insects.

Quick Facts

Species Type

Native

Size

Two to three pounds. Females tend to be 10-20% smaller than males. 

Habitat

Live near streams, rivers, lakes, marshes and coastlines; like to take shelter in the abandoned dens of other animals or at the base of trees

Range

Common throughout most of North America, excluding the Southwestern United States. The American mink can also be found in Europe where it has become an invasive species after having escaped from fur farms.

Diet

Rodents, birds, amphibians, crustaceans and fish

Lifespan

Wild minks live for three to four years but domesticated minks can live for up to ten years.

Conservation Status

Stable
An American mink hops from stone to stone while foraging along the edge of a log vane used to restore a stretch of Beaver Run at Patriots Cove, a nonprofit fly fishing refuge serving veterans, first-responders and caregivers in Noxen, Pa., on Nov. 7, 2020. The vane pushes water to the center of the stream channel and oxygenates the water, improving conditions for trout and other fish—which may fall prey to the carnivorous, semi-aquatic mammal. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)

Appearance

Wild American minks are always a dark brown or black with a small white patch on their chin and sometimes a white spot on their chest. Minks have long bodies and short legs, similar to weasels. Their partially webbed feet help them swim.

Feeding

Mink hunt muskrats, rabbits, birds, frogs, fish, crayfish and insects. During the winter, they sometimes kill more than they need and stock food in their dens. Minks can climb trees and swim underwater to catch prey.

Predators

Birds of prey, bobcats, foxes and coyotes will hunt young mink. Once they reach maturity, minks are rarely hunted because they are well camouflaged, sneaky, and readily defend themselves.

Voice

Minks will purr like a cat when they are happy and hiss when they feel threatened.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

Minks mate in late winter to early spring. Minks, similar to many mustelids (family of carnivorous mammals including weasels, badgers and otters), go through a period of delayed implantation after mating. It can take up to 30 days for the embryo to implant into the uterine wall. Minks are born hairless and blind in the spring. After several weeks, young mink (known as kits) will be weaned and will leave their mother in the fall. Minks reach sexual maturity at ten months of age.

Did You Know?

  • Minks can spray a foul-smelling odor when alarmed.
  • Their partially webbed feet allow them to swim up to 100 feet in water.
  • When first born, minks are hairless and blind.

Sources and Additional Information

Tags:
Mammals Semi-Aquatic Mammals Streams & Rivers Open & Shallow Waters Marshes & Wetlands Forests & Uplands