Michigan mammals

Long-tailed Weasel in Michigan

Neogale frenata

Native to Michigan S5 Secure in Michigan

Not listed as nonindigenous in Michigan by USGS NAS; native to its Michigan 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 Michigan, by the numbers

Rare in Michigan 50th most recorded of 75 mammals logged in Michigan

34 occurrence records
32 with iNaturalist photos
May 18, 2026 Last seen in Michigan

Records from 2000–2026.

When to look for the Long-tailed Weasel in Michigan

Most sightings fall in July to August.

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

Monthly Michigan records (table)
MonthRecords
January3
February0
March0
April4
May4
June2
July6
August6
September3
October2
November1
December3

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

Seasonality

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

Occurrence map

Where Long-tailed Weasel has been recorded in Michigan

34 records mapped · zoom and drag to explore

34 Michigan records mapped

Notable places to look

Park, forest, or monumentiNaturalist records
Ottawa National Forest 2
Tawas Point State Park 1
Keweenaw National Historical Park 1
Asylum Lake 1
Newberry State Forest Area 1
St. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area 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 Michigan

CountyRecords
Washtenaw County 6
Berrien County 4
Houghton County 3
Gogebic County 2
Ogemaw County 2
Chippewa County 2
Saginaw County 1
Emmet County 1
Livingston County 1
Delta County 1
Kent County 1
Benzie County 1
8 other counties 9

The complete county distribution, spread across 20 Michigan counties. Every occurrence record falls in one county, so these sum to the total. Counties from GBIF and US Census boundaries.

Long-tailed weasel records in Michigan are thin and scattered, from Washtenaw and Berrien counties in the south to Houghton, Gogebic, and Chippewa in the Upper Peninsula, and Ottawa National Forest is the only named site with more than one. Of the 34 records, 32 come from iNaturalist.

Reports are highest in July and August, the months when this weasel’s fast, low hunting style along logs, stone walls, and brush piles is most likely to put it in view of a hiker. NatureServe ranks the species S5, Secure, in Michigan, though its low record count reflects how rarely a moving weasel gets a clean sighting rather than any real scarcity.

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 Michigan 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"