Studies on the distribution, food, breeding biology and relative abundance of the Pygmy and Common shrews (Sorex minutus andS. araneus) in upland areas of northern Engl and.

The distribution and relative abundance of the Pygmy and Common shrews were investigated over two years at 42 sites across northern England and at a further seven sites in one year. Most of the sites were in upland areas above 250m in altitude. At almost all sites, the Pygmy shrew was more abundant than the Common shrew, often by a considerable A correlation exists between the numbers of shrews captured at a site and the abundance of invertebrates revealed by pitfall trapping. I t is recorded that Common shrews fed on earthworms (which are almost completely absent on peatlands) whilst Pygmy shrews did