For a start, there is a vast difference in their size and they have completely different tails. Plus, one builds dams and one doesn’t, and one is extremely important to the ecosystem. But that’s not all as we’ll dive into all of their differences and discover exactly how to spot the differences identifying the muskrat vs beaver!
Comparing Muskrat vs Beaver
Muskrats and beavers are often confused for one another, especially as they’re both rodents. However, there are a few ways that they are different, although some are easier to spot than others. Check out the chart below to learn a few of the main differences between muskrat vs beaver.
The 6 Key Differences Between Muskrats and Beavers
Muskrat vs Beaver: Habitat
Muskrats and beavers are both semi-aquatic animals and must be near water to survive, but their habitats are slightly different. Muskrats prefer marshes, swamps, and wetlands and live in burrows near the water. They are native to Canada, the US, and northern Mexico, and are an invasive species in Europe. Beavers prefer freshwater ponds, streams, lakes, and rivers and build dams across waterbodies. They then build their home, known as a lodge, out of sticks, grass, and mud inside the dam that they have created. North American beavers are widespread across Canada, North America, and northern Mexico. They have been introduced to Finland and then spread to Russia. Eurasian beavers are widespread across Europe and have been reintroduced to the UK.
Muskrat vs Beaver: Dam Building
Unlike muskrats, only beavers build dams across bodies of water. They are workaholics and spend most of their time either building dams or repairing them. Beavers build dams to deepen the water course so that they have more protection against predators such as foxes, coyotes, bears, and wolves. They build their dams by gnawing through trees with their incredibly tough and sharp incisors and then using the branches to build the dam. Beavers incisors are orange colored due to the presence of iron compounds which make their teeth so tough. Muskrats can’t build dams because they simply don’t have tough enough teeth. But muskrats do have the ability to alter the aquatic environments they live in. By consuming aquatic plants, they actually help to clear waterways that would otherwise be blocked. This benefits other animals like water fowl and semi-aquatic animals by providing clear areas for them to swim.
Muskrat vs Beaver: Size
One of the main differences between muskrat vs beaver is in size. Veavers are much larger and heavier than muskrats. Beavers can weigh up to 66 pounds and have a maximum length of around 40 inches. Muskrats only weigh around 4 pounds and reach 28 inches, with half of that length being their tail.
Muskrat vs Beaver: Tail
One of the easiest ways to tell the difference between a muskrat and a beaver is by looking at their tails. Beavers have an extremely wide and flat tail which is shaped like a paddle and covered in scales. They often use their tail as a rudder when swimming and store fat in it during the winter. Muskrats have a very long and skinny tail, more like that of a traditional rodent.
Muskrat vs Beaver: Diet
Muskrats are omnivores and eat aquatic plants – such as cattails, water lilies, rushes, and pondweed. They also eat small fish, frogs, snails, clams, and mussels. Beavers are strictly herbivores and eat only aquatic plants, bark, leaves, and twigs.
Muskrat vs Beaver: Appearance when Swimming
Both beavers and muskrats are excellent swimmers and can often be spotted in the water. However, there is a big difference in how they appear when they are swimming. When beavers are swimming the only part of them that is visible is their head, whereas when muskrats are in the water their entire body can be seen. Yes, they are both rodents. Beavers and the second largest rodent after the capybaras and North American and Eurasian beavers are the only member of the Castoridae family. However, muskrats are members of the Cricetidae family which is the second largest family of mammals and includes rats, mice, voles, and lemmings. Are muskrats rats? No, although they are rodents and from the same family group as rats, muskrats are not actually rats. They are often mistaken for rats because of the similarities in their appearance and because of their name. Are beavers and muskrats territorial? Beavers are not territorial and live peacefully with other members of their group. However, muskrats are territorial and often become extremely aggressive towards other members of their group. Do muskrats and beavers have webbed feet? Beavers have digitised front feet and fully webbed hind feet but muskrats don’t. Their front feet are not webbed at all, but their back feet are only partially webbed. Do beavers produce a water-repellent oil? Yes, beavers produce a water-repellent oil called castoreum that they use to keep their fur waterproof. The have a split claw called a grooming claw that they use to regularly groom the castoreum into their coat with. Muskrats have a double layered coat which consists of a thick layer of fur underneath to keep them warm and a layer of long guard hairs on the top which are water-resistant. Why are beavers so important? Beavers are considered to be an extremely important animal as they change the flow of water courses and create new wetland environments which benefit other animals such as otters, water voles, newts, fish, and many more. Do muskrats produce a smell? Yes, as their name suggests, muskrats produce a musky smell from their scent glands. They produce this smell as a way of marking their territory.
