Occurs mainly on the Settlement Plain and in Phylica woodland on the Base at Tristan. Occurs throughout at Gough, attaining high densities of up to 300/ha in lowlands in late summer
- 13.3. Marine Coastal/Supratidal – Coastal Sand Dunes
- 14.1. Artificial - Terrestrial – Arable Land
- 14.2. Artificial - Terrestrial – Pastureland
- 14.3. Artificial - Terrestrial – Plantations
- 14.4. Artificial - Terrestrial – Rural Gardens
- 14.5. Artificial - Terrestrial – Urban Areas
- 14.6. Artificial - Terrestrial – Subtropical/Tropical Heavily Degraded Former Forest
- 3.3. Shrubland – Boreal
- 3.4. Shrubland –Temperate
- 3.5. Shrubland – Subtropical/tropical dry
- 3.6. Shrubland – Subtropical/tropical moist
- 3.8. Shrubland – Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation
- 4.1. Grassland – Tundra
- 4.3. Grassland – Subantarctic
- 4.4. Grassland – Temperate
- 4.5. Grassland – Subtropical/tropical dry
- 4.6. Grassland – Subtropical/tropical seasonally wet/flooded
- 5.1. Wetlands (inland) – Permanent rivers/streams/creeks (includes waterfalls)
- 5.16. Wetlands (inland) – Permanent saline, brackish or alkaline marshes/pools
Occurs mainly on the Settlement Plain and in Phylica woodland on the Base at Tristan.
Scavenges from dead seabirds (eg skua kills) and recently discovered to attack and kill chicks of Tristan Albatross, Atlantic Petrel and Great Shearwater. Most attacks occur in autumn and winter, when other food is scarce. Up to 10 mice attack a single albatross chick, eating through body wall. Probably kills chicks of other winter-breeding seabirds (Grey and Great-winged Petrels) and Gough Buntings; may have contributed to the extinction of buntings at Tristan.
Not known when introduced; probably arrived in stores brought ashore by sealers; present on Tristan by 1830s, Gough by 1880s.
Ryan, P. (ed.) (2007). Field Guide to the Animals and Plants of Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island. Pisces Publications, Newbury. 162 pp; Pagad S, Wong L J (2020). Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species – Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. Version 1.1. Invasive Species Specialist Group ISSG. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/30wm6u accessed via GBIF.org on 2021-11-30.; personal communication, Tristan da Cunha Conservation Department