Kentucky mammals

North American Deermouse in Kentucky

Peromyscus maniculatus

Native to Kentucky S4 Apparently Secure in Kentucky

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

Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) (9310532204)DiGangi-DeermousePeromyscus maniculatusDeer mouse peering out from a lichen-covered tree crook beside a green leafDeer mouse braced on a bark-stripped log, ears forward and alert
Photo: Seney Natural History Association · CC BY-SA 2.0Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) (9310532204)Photo: 6th Happiness · CC BY-SA 3.0DiGangi-DeermousePhoto: (Picture courtesy of the CDC and the Partnership, Inc.) · CC BY 2.5Peromyscus maniculatusPhoto: USFWS Mountain-Prairie · CC BY-SA 4.0Deer mouse peering out from a lichen-covered tree crook beside a green leafPhoto: Gregory "Slobirdr" Smith · CC BY-SA 2.0Deer mouse braced on a bark-stripped log, ears forward and alert

North American Deermouse in Kentucky, by the numbers

Common in Kentucky 21st most recorded of 77 mammals logged in Kentucky

138 occurrence records
10 with iNaturalist photos
Nov 10, 2024 Last seen in Kentucky

Records from 2000–2026.

When to look for the North American Deermouse in Kentucky

Most sightings fall in June to July.

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

Monthly Kentucky records (table)
MonthRecords
January29
February3
March7
April3
May5
June27
July36
August4
September5
October4
November5
December10

Monthly north american deermouse occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) in Kentucky, 2000–2026.

Seasonality

Year-round in Kentucky, with recorded sightings peaking in June–July, with a smaller rise in January.

Occurrence map

Where North American Deermouse has been recorded in Kentucky

138 records mapped · zoom and drag to explore

138 Kentucky records mapped

Notable places to look

Park, forest, or monumentiNaturalist records
Black Mountain Timber Purchase Area 4
Land Between the Lakes Other 4
Daniel Boone National Forest 2
Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area 1

Protected places with the most north american deermouse 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 Kentucky

CountyRecords
Harlan County 66
Fayette County 29
Whitley County 12
Fleming County 7
Trigg County 4
Franklin County 4
Graves County 3
Garrard County 3
Muhlenberg County 2
Jefferson County 2
Powell County 1
Campbell County 1
4 other counties 4

The complete county distribution, spread across 16 Kentucky counties. Every occurrence record falls in one county, so these sum to the total. Counties from GBIF and US Census boundaries.

North American deermice are represented by 138 Kentucky records, including 10 research-grade iNaturalist observations in the refreshed snapshot. Records rise in June and July and again in November, an unusual split that likely reflects fieldwork timing as much as mouse activity.

Natural Bridge State Resort Park, Daniel Boone National Forest, and Land Between the Lakes anchor records across distinct Kentucky landscapes. The species is treated as native, and these clusters identify documented survey areas rather than the places with the greatest mouse abundance.

Occurrence data from GBIF.

Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) (9310532204)
Full species profile North American Deermouse Peromyscus maniculatus Size 8–10 cm3.1–3.9 in Weight 21 g0.7 oz Lifespan Up to 8.3 yr View the full profile

More mammals in Kentucky 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"