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What the sources say

StoatMustela erminea

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Stoat profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 40 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Woodland Trust

Stoat. Woodland Trust.

The page saysrabbits more than five times its size
The source saysRabbits are a stoat's favoured prey, even though they can be more than five times their size.Note: tagline
The page saysdances in a way that seems to hypnotise them
The source saysStoats are reputed to 'dance' in a bid to mesmerise rabbits. They have been observed leaping and thrashing around in a motion that seems to hypnotise their prey.Note: tagline
The page sayscan turn snow-white in winter
The source saysSome stoats turn completely or partially white in winterNote: tagline; 'can' keeps the source's 'some'
The page saysTaking On Prey Five Times Its Size
The source saysRabbits are a stoat's favoured prey, even though they can be more than five times their size.Note: heading
The page saysis typically 30 to 40 centimetres long and weighs 200 to 400 grams
The source saysThe species is small, typically just 30–40cm in length and weighing 200–400 grams.
The page saysIt's found throughout the UK, where it can live in most habitats
The source saysStoats are found throughout the UK and can live in most habitats, provided there is prey to eat and cover to shelter in.Note: range scoped to the UK: ADW's Holarctic range predates the split of North American ermine
The page saysincluding woodland, grassland, farmland and upland
The source saysHabitat: woodland, grassland, farmland, upland
The page sayseven though one can be more than five times the stoat's own size
The source saysRabbits are a stoat's favoured prey, even though they can be more than five times their size.
The page sayshave been known to drag prey much heavier than themselves over walls
The source saysStoats have been known to drag prey much heavier than themselves over walls
The page saysThey also take voles, mice and rats, as well as birds and their eggs, and will climb trees to raid birds' nests
The source saysThey will also take rodents, such as voles, mice and rats, as well as birds and their eggs. An energetic hunter, stoats readily pursue mice and voles into their underground burrows and will climb trees to raid birds' nests.
The page saysA Dance That Seems to Hypnotise
The source saysStoats are reputed to 'dance' in a bid to mesmerise rabbits. They have been observed leaping and thrashing around in a motion that seems to hypnotise their prey.Note: heading
The page saysStoats are reputed to dance in a bid to mesmerise rabbits. They have been seen leaping and thrashing around in a way that seems to hypnotise their prey
The source saysStoats are reputed to 'dance' in a bid to mesmerise rabbits. They have been observed leaping and thrashing around in a motion that seems to hypnotise their prey.
The page saysWhether that is a genuine hunting technique or the result of a parasite infection is still unclear
The source saysIt's unclear if this is a genuine hunting technique or the result of a parasite infection.
The page saysIt might be a real tactic for catching rabbits, or a symptom of a parasite infection
The source saysIt's unclear if this is a genuine hunting technique or the result of a parasite infection.Note: FAQ 2
The page saysTurning to Ermine
The source saysThe white fur is known as 'ermine'Note: heading
The page saysA stoat's fur is sandy-brown to chestnut with white-cream underparts
The source saysTheir fur is sandy-brown to chestnut with white-cream underparts.
The page saysin winter some stoats turn completely or partly white, particularly in the snowier north of the UK
The source saysSome stoats turn completely or partially white in winter, particularly in northern parts of the UK where snow is more common
The page saysThe white fur is known as ermine, and it helps a stoat blend in with snowy surroundings when hunting
The source saysThe white fur is known as 'ermine' and helps the stoat blend in with snowy surroundings when hunting.
The page saysWhatever the season, the black tip of the tail always remains
The source saysbut the black tip on the tail always remains
The page saysIt's thought to distract birds of prey, drawing the attack away from the more vulnerable parts of the stoat's body
The source saysIt's thought that the black tip to a stoat's tail serves to distract birds of prey. The predator's attention is drawn to it and it focuses its attack on the tail rather than on the more vulnerable parts of the stoat's body.
The page saysIt's thought to be a decoy. A bird of prey's attention is drawn to the black tip, and it focuses its attack there
The source saysIt's thought that the black tip to a stoat's tail serves to distract birds of prey. The predator's attention is drawn to it and it focuses its attack on the tail rather than on the more vulnerable parts of the stoat's body.Note: FAQ 3
The page saysPregnant within weeks of being born
The source saysFemale stoats can become pregnant just a few weeks after birth.Note: blockquote lead-in
The page saysLitters of six to twelve kits are born in spring
The source saysA litter of around 6 to 12 young, known as kits, are born in spring.
The page saysthe mother cares for them until they are self-sufficient at around twelve weeks old
The source saysThe female will care for the young until they are self-sufficient at around 12 weeks.
The page saysCan Drag Prey Heavier Than Itself & Seasonal Ermine Coat-Swap
The source saysStoats have been known to drag prey much heavier than themselves over wallsNote: stats.superpower; the coat half is the ermine claims above
The page saysWoodland, Grassland, Farmland & Upland
The source saysHabitat: woodland, grassland, farmland, uplandNote: stats.habitat
The page saysCarnivore (Rabbits, Rodents, Birds, Eggs)
The source saysDiet: rabbits, rodents and birdsNote: stats.diet; eggs from 'as well as birds and their eggs'
The page saysweightKg: 0.3
The source saystypically just 30–40cm in length and weighing 200–400 gramsNote: battleStats (settle #880); midpoint of the range

Source
02

Vincent Wildlife Trust

Stoat. Vincent Wildlife Trust.

The page saysIt hunts by systematically checking all the burrows, holes and crevices it can find, and it may follow prey into a burrow
The source saysStoats hunt opportunistically, systematically checking all available burrows, holes and crevices for food, and they may enter burrows to pursue prey.
The page saysStoats can kill and carry prey much larger than themselves
The source saysStoats can kill and carry much larger prey than themselves.
The page saysThe change comes in response to day length and temperature, and the Irish stoat, a separate subspecies, does not turn white in winter
The source saysThis physiological change occurs in response to changes in daylight length and temperature, and is meant to provide the stoat camouflage in areas with sitting snow — for example at higher altitudes where they are capable of inhabiting. Conversely, the Irish stoat in Ireland does not turn white in winter.Note: 'separate subspecies' from the same page: 'a different sub-species of stoat lives — the Irish stoat Mustela erminea hibernica'
The page saysYes, when it needs to. Stoats are very capable tree climbers, and in winter they can also hunt beneath the snow
The source saysThey are able to hunt beneath snow in winter and are very capable tree climbers when necessary.Note: FAQ 1
The page saysA Pregnancy on Pause
The source saysMating takes place between April – July but females delay implantation until the following year, giving birth in the spring. The delayed implantation lasts around 9–10 months, followed by brief active pregnancy that lasts just 4 weeks.Note: heading
The page saysFemale kits can be mated when they are just two to three weeks old and still in the nest
The source saysUnusually, female kits can be mated when they are just 2–3 weeks old and still in the nest.Note: blockquote
The page saysStoats mate between April and July, but a female delays implantation until the following year. That pause lasts around nine to ten months and is followed by an active pregnancy of just four weeks
The source saysMating takes place between April – July but females delay implantation until the following year, giving birth in the spring. The delayed implantation lasts around 9–10 months, followed by brief active pregnancy that lasts just 4 weeks.
The page saysMost of it is a pause. Implantation is put off until the following year, and the active pregnancy after it lasts just four weeks
The source saysMating takes place between April – July but females delay implantation until the following year, giving birth in the spring. The delayed implantation lasts around 9–10 months, followed by brief active pregnancy that lasts just 4 weeks.Note: FAQ 4

Source
03

The Wildlife Trusts

Stoat. The Wildlife Trusts.

The page saysOn average it lives two to five years
The source saysAverage lifespan: 2-5 yearsNote: Page hand-cached from Chrome 2026-09-27 (Cloudflare blocks the script). UK stoats, post-split scope.
The page saysIt moves with a distinctive bounding gait, arching its back as it moves, where a weasel runs close to the ground
The source sayshas a distinctive bounding gait, arching its back as it moves; weasels do not bound, but run close to the groundNote: vibe.reason (settle #880)

Source
04

Abramov 2025

Abramov (2025). Mustela erminea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2025: e.T29674A215859338.

The page saysthe IUCN currently lists the stoat as Least Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC). Mustela erminea Linnaeus, 1758, IUCN taxon 29674.Note: 2025 assessment postdates the split; stats.conservationStatus

Source
05

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Mustela erminea (ermine). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysdangerLevel: Low
The source saysEconomic Importance for Humans: Negative Ermine, and other Mustela species can take domestic fowl when they can gain access to them.Note: settle #880: poultry is the only harm to people ADW lists; no UK source gives the stoat any capability against people. ADW is the pre-2021 broad-sense Mustela erminea

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.