Species › Mammals › American Mink

American Mink

Neogale vison

CommonMammal
Illustration of American Mink (Neogale vison)

The American Mink is a sleek, semi-aquatic mustelid with a glossy dark brown coat and a white chin patch. It is an opportunistic predator that hunts along stream banks, diving after fish, frogs, and crayfish. Mink are highly territorial and mark their home ranges with strong-smelling musk secretions.

Habitat
Riparian corridors, wetlands, lake shores, and marshes
Diet
Fish, frogs, crayfish, mice, muskrats, and birds
How common
Common

Best time to see a American Mink

The best time to see a American Mink is February–July, when about 63% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 11,334 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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Not certain it is a American Mink? What animal is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.

Often confused with

North American River Otter - see how to tell them apart

Recent American Mink sightings near you

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