mink vs. ermine

[woodmort]

Ole and Lena add otters to that list--they are in the same family.

 

[Stoney22]

Well im still kinda confused by the ermine as I've been told mix things, is it a true winter color phase that the change into seasonally or is an ermine another 'breed' so to speak of the three weasels? What r the three weasels? Sorry im so curious.
other than that he's all questions answered.
Ps is ermine the only type of the three that change color?

 

[Stoney22]

Are the three types of weasel ermines, ferrets, and stoats?

 

[wyoDreamer]

I believe only some weasels turn white in winter, and the weasels that turn white are also called ermine.
Weasles are smaller than ferrets. Ferrets are smaller than mink.
Weasels, ferrets and mink are all different animals.

I never heard of stoat, but Wiki says a stoat is another name for ermine/weasel.

 

[aprophet]

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stoat is more often times from Europe

 

[theFox]

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Short tail, long tail, and least.

You live where all three (in the US) may be found. There are other members of the weasel family (lots of).

 

[Ole and Lena]

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Yeah, they don't eat many chickens though so I left them out.

 

[TruGritCkn]

It is the short tailed weasel that turns white and is also called an ermine. The short tailed weasel has a black tip on it's tail. Mustela erminea
It is funny to read in my Mammal book that the economic status of the ST weasel/ermine is listed as beneficial; an expert mouser. Winter pelts (ermine) of some value when fur prices are high; rarely destroys poultry. From the Peterson Field Guide of Mammals. go figure...

 

[Stoney22]

Is a least called a least because it has the shortest or least long tail? Just building. My knowledge here guys.lol

 

[woodmort]

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Apparently Peterson didn't know the one that cleaned out 14 of my 17-bird flock two winters ago. BTW I have the same field guide and matched the one I caught to the ST weasel. I will say this in the animal's defense that it cleaned out a family of rats living under my chicken coop before it started on the birds and, had I not ignored the small mouse-chewed hole under the door, it may have left the chickens alone.