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| Distribution |
In NC, it is known only in the extreme southwestern Piedmont, in counties bordering SC -- records only from Rutherford, Cleveland, and Mecklenburg counties.
A small range for a mouse, being limited to the southeastern states, north to extreme southern NC and TN, east to central SC, and west to AL. |
| Abundance |
Though it can be locally common in SC, it is quite rare in NC, as well as poorly known. It is probably slowly expanding its range northward. There are just a few records for the state, with the most recent being in a protected site in northern Mecklenburg County. It is State listed as Special Concern. |
| Seasonal Occurrence |
Active year-round. |
| Habitat |
Strongly favors brushy and weedy grasslands and fields, in sandy soils, as it is a burrowing species. It thus tends to avoid wet habitats, and it also typically avoids forests. It can occur along the sandy borders of cultivated fields, as well as overgrown sites. It also occurs in sandy roadsides, and possibly might be spreading northward along highway margins. |
| Behavior |
This species spends most of its time underground, in a burrow, unlike most other mice in the state. Perhaps for that reason, it isn't well known across its overall range. It is almost certainly nocturnal in its activity. |
| Comments |
The first record for the state did not come until 1976, from Rutherford County, as reported in Lee et al. (1982). Since then, it has been noted from two additional counties, to the east, but still in the Piedmont within about 30 miles of the SC line. As it is numerous in the Sandhills region of SC, it might be expected in the Sandhills region of NC in upcoming years. |
| Origin |
Native |
| NC List |
Official |
 State Rank |
S1 |
| State Status |
SC |
| Global Rank |
G5 |
| Federal Status |
|
| subspecies |
Peromyscus polionotus colemani |
| other_comName |
Oldfield Mouse |
| synonym |
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