What do minks sound like

When frightened or cornered, weasels may hiss or create shrill warning squeals. Many species are nocturnal, so these noises often occur at night. Loud weasel sounds in the yard can keep residents awake. These animals are a nuisance to homeowners for more reasons than just annoying weasel noises. The pests destroy lawns by digging burrows and often raid backyard chicken coops for both eggs and chicks.

Setting traps or putting up fences may keep weasels out, but these methods do not always work. In the winter, they move inland to hunt other prey. A mink's selection of a den may also be influenced by human activity. They will often relocate closer to poultry farms or manmade ponds where they can regularly harvest a meal. Minks rarely use the same den for long. Minks prefer habitats with dense vegetation, which gives them plenty of cover as they go about their regular activities.

Because of this preference, you'll often find minks residing in forested areas, marshes and other locations that offer similar shelter. Minks are active year round, so they can be a pest for property owners regardless of the season. These opportunistic hunters are typically solitary creatures, except during mating season, which takes place from February to April. At this time, expecting mothers prepare a nest inside their den lined with fur, feathers and dry vegetation. American Minks birth a single litter in late spring or early summer, consisting of two to ten young.

Mink young, also known as kits, are born completely naked and blind, so they remain in the nest until they are weaned. About 8 weeks after their birth, mink kits learn to hunt. The fall after they are born, the young minks will set out to find their own territories.

The female has a litter of three to six young in a fur-lined nest. The babies are weaned when they are five to six weeks old. The babies stay with their mother until the fall. Behavior The mink spends a lot of its time in the water hunting for food. It is a good swimmer and can dive as deep as 16 feet. Like the skunk , the mink sprays intruders with a foul-smelling liquid.

Unlike the skunk, the mink can't aim its spray! When the mink is happy, it makes a purring sound like a cat. The mink is very territorial, and males fight other minks that invade their territory.