Mammals · Carnivora · Mustelidae
Beech Marten
Martes foina
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary
Unlike the pine marten it is a generalist that thrives near human settlement, often denning in buildings and barns, which is where its English name of beech or house marten comes from.
Weight
1.1 kg – 2.3 kg
Size
38 cm – 59 cm
Lifespan
10 years
Diet
Omnivore
Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Easy
Fun facts
- It has delayed implantation, giving a total gestation of 7.5 to 9 months.
- It eats small mammals, birds, insects, fruit and nuts.
- It lives in open country, rocky outcrops in mountain areas and land near human settlement.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- Open country, rocky outcrops in mountain areas and land near human settlement across much of Europe and Central Asia
- Birth weight
- Born blind and naked
- Size at birth
- Tiny at birth
- Sexual maturity
- 15-27 months
- Gestation / incubation
- ~7.5-9 months (including 6.5-8 months of delayed implantation)
- Litter / clutch size
- 2 to 4 young per litter
- Lifespan in captivity
- Documented record of up to 18 years
Sources consulted: Animal Diversity Web (Martes); Animal Diversity Web (Martes foina); AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); The Mammals of Greece; Critter Science; Animalia.bio; Know Your Mammals; Wikipedia (Beech marten); iNaturalist
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: All year round, at night; it is the marten most tied to people and is found on roofs, in lofts and in ruins, even inside villages.
Where to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 83 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Beech Marten — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Pine Marten
Martes martes
Polecat
Mustela putorius
American Mink
Neovison vison
Least ConcernEurasian Badger
Meles meles
European Mink
Mustela lutreola
Not EvaluatedStoat
Mustela erminea
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about beech marten.
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