Under its formal name, Peromyscus maniculatus, this animal is the most widely distributed native rodent in North America, and North Dakota’s own record reflects that reach. The state file logs 6,543 GBIF entries against just 2 from iNaturalist, the kind of lopsided split that comes from decades of small-mammal trapping studies rather than casual wildlife photography, since it’s small, fast, nocturnal, and rarely poses for a camera.
Records peak in June, at 1,566 for the month, and stay elevated through August before tapering into fall, a pattern that tracks field survey effort and breeding-season activity more than any real summer boom. It’s also the species most often linked in the wild to Sin Nombre hantavirus, a detail tied to its habit of nesting in and around outbuildings almost as readily as in open habitat.
NatureServe rates it globally secure (G5) and native throughout North Dakota, without a separate state-specific rank on file (SNR). Sheyenne National Grassland, Pembina Gorge, and Icelandic State Park round out the record’s named locations.
Full species profile
