Although not endangered worldwide, the status of yellow-necked mice in the UK is unclear.

Life span
Up to one year.

Statistics
Head and body length: 10-12cm, Weight: 25-45g.

Physical description
Yellow-necked mice are similar in appearance to wood mice, who they are closely related to. They can be distinguished by a yellow spot that extends sideways to form a collar. They are also slightly larger than wood mice.

Distribution
In Britain, they are concentrated around the Welsh borders, the western Cotswolds and south-eastern counties. As with the wood mouse, they range across Europe through to C. Asia, but they range further North in Scandinavia than the wood mouse.

Habitat
They favour deciduous woodland, but they are also found in orchards and gardens, and often enter houses.

Diet
Yellow-necked mice have a very similar diet to wood mice, feeding on seeds, buds, fruits, insects, worms, centipedes, snails and fungi.

Behaviour
Yellow-necked mice have home ranges generally of less than 0.5 hectares, which often overlap with other individuals. They sometimes store food in extensive burrow systems. They are nocturnal and are agile climbers.

The nests are made from layers of leaves and may be found in their tunnel system, or above ground in tree holes or houses. In the winter, three or four mice may share a nest to keep warm.

Reproduction
The breeding season runs from February to October, during which females give birth to 4-7 young after a gestation period of 23 days. The young are weaned after three weeks. Their distinctive yellow collars become visible after two weeks, at about the same times as they first open their eyes.

Conservation status
Worldwide, yellow necked-mice are considered to be common.