Massachusetts mammals

Long-tailed Weasel in Massachusetts

Neogale frenata

Native to Massachusetts S5 Secure in Massachusetts

Not listed as nonindigenous in Massachusetts by USGS NAS; native to its Massachusetts range.

IUCN Red List status

  1. LC
  2. NT
  3. VU
  4. EN
  5. CR
  6. EW
  7. EX

LC – Least Concern

Widespread and abundant; not at risk.

Long-tailed weasel standing alert in grass with its black-tipped tail curled behind it, Sonoma County, CaliforniaLong-tailed weasel pausing at the edge of a paved trail beside tall grass, San Francisco, CaliforniaLong-tailed weasel peering over a log, showing its cream underside and brown crown, VermontLong-tailed weasel with a bridled black-and-white facial mask peering through a gap in deck boards, TexasLong-tailed weasel standing alert among limestone rocks, New Mexico
Photo: benjchristensen · CC BY 4.0Long-tailed weasel standing alert in grass with its black-tipped tail curled behind it, Sonoma County, CaliforniaPhoto: Jay Paroline · CC BY 4.0Long-tailed weasel pausing at the edge of a paved trail beside tall grass, San Francisco, CaliforniaPhoto: Bernie Paquette · CC BY 4.0Long-tailed weasel peering over a log, showing its cream underside and brown crown, VermontPhoto: johnyochum · CC BY 4.0Long-tailed weasel with a bridled black-and-white facial mask peering through a gap in deck boards, TexasPhoto: Bob Nieman · CC BY 4.0Long-tailed weasel standing alert among limestone rocks, New Mexico

Long-tailed Weasel in Massachusetts, by the numbers

Occasional in Massachusetts 36th most recorded of 93 mammals logged in Massachusetts

198 occurrence records
195 with iNaturalist photos
Jun 27, 2026 Last seen in Massachusetts

Records from 2000–2026.

198 total records count every Massachusetts occurrence from GBIF and iNaturalist; the map plots a georeferenced sample of 192; the monthly chart covers the 192 records with a full observation date.

When to look for the Long-tailed Weasel in Massachusetts

Most sightings fall in July to August.

192 Massachusetts occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) by month of year, 2000–2026. Shows when the species is recorded, not a guarantee of presence.

Monthly Massachusetts records (table)
MonthRecords
January3
February10
March10
April16
May29
June22
July43
August29
September15
October4
November10
December1

Monthly long-tailed weasel occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) in Massachusetts, 2000–2026.

Seasonality

Year-round in Massachusetts, with recorded sightings peaking in July–August, with a smaller rise in May.

Occurrence map

Where Long-tailed Weasel has been recorded in Massachusetts

192 records mapped · zoom and drag to explore

192 Massachusetts records mapped

Notable places to look

Park, forest, or monumentiNaturalist records
Franklin Park Zoo 3
Brook Farm 2
Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area 2
Danvers Agricultural Reserve 1
Bolton Flats Wildlife Management Area 1
Minute Man National Historical Park 1
Cape Cod National Seashore 1
Blue Hills Reservation 1

Protected places with the most long-tailed weasel sightings, from the USGS Protected Areas Database plus named mountain ranges, good spots to look, not a full breakdown, so they don't sum to the total.

Where it's recorded in Massachusetts

CountyRecords
Middlesex County 62
Essex County 38
Worcester County 19
Plymouth County 18
Barnstable County 13
Suffolk County 8
Norfolk County 7
Franklin County 6
Berkshire County 6
Hampden County 5
Bristol County 4
Hampshire County 4
Other localities 8

The complete county distribution, spread across 12 Massachusetts counties. Every occurrence record falls in one county, so these sum to the total. Counties from GBIF and US Census boundaries.

Long-tailed weasels are the state’s biggest weasel species, and Middlesex County holds the most records, 62, with named sites running from Minute Man National Historical Park and Bolton Flats Wildlife Management Area inland to Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area and Cape Cod National Seashore toward the coast. They hunt mice and voles almost exclusively, following prey into whatever field, marsh edge, or stone wall holds the densest rodent population.

Records climb through spring to a July peak, far above the December low, tracking the stretch when this year’s kits are old enough to hunt alongside their mother and become easier to spot. NatureServe ranks the species S5, secure, in Massachusetts even though its lean, elongated build keeps it naturally hard to notice compared with the state’s larger predators.

Occurrence data from iNaturalist and GBIF.

Long-tailed Weasel in other states

Long-tailed weasel standing alert in grass with its black-tipped tail curled behind it, Sonoma County, California
Full species profile Long-tailed Weasel Neogale frenata Size 24.8 cm9.8 in Weight 170 g6 oz Lifespan Up to 8.8 yr View the full profile

More mammals in Massachusetts in the atlas

Data & sources

The data and visualizations on this page draw on these open sources:

  • GBIFCC-BY 4.0occurrence records behind the range map, elevation, and record counts
  • iNaturalistCC0 / CC-BY / CC-BY-SAobservations, photos, and audio recordings
  • NatureServe ExplorerCC-BYthe state conservation rank
  • IUCN Red Listattributed factthe global conservation status
  • USGS NASpublic domainnative / introduced status
  • Natural Earthpublic domainthe relief basemap
  • USFSpublic domainnational-forest boundaries
  • USGS Protected Areas Databasepublic domainthe named parks, forests, and refuges behind "notable places to look"