Pine martens come from the Mustelidae family and are related to weasels, ferrets and otters. They use tree cavities as resting and breeding sites, so they favour woodland habitats.

Fast facts

Common name: Pine marten or American marten

Scientific name: Martes americana

Type: Mammal

Diet: Omnivore

Ojibwe name: Waabizheshi

Average weight: 470 to 1300 grams

Length: 35 to 43 centimetres, plus a 18 to 23 centimetre tail 

COSEWIC Status: Special concern

Did you know?

Pine martens have a strong bone and muscle structure, which enables them to have powerful limbs for climbing branches and up the sides of trees. Their bushy tails allow them to balance while their claws help them climb and make dens.

Physical characteristics and behaviour

Commonly misidentified, the pine marten looks similar to mink, muskrats and feral ferrets but can be identified by their cream-coloured patch of fur on their chest and dark brown or black tail. They have sharp, curved and semi-retractable claws as well as rounded and fringed ears. Unlike the American mink, which lives around aquatic habitats, pine martens reside in woodland area with plenty of trees in which to make their homes. They are excellent jumpers and climbers but have a shy personality and typically hide from humans. 

Diet

Pine martens feed on small mammals like voles and small birds, but also hunt mammals larger than them such as rabbits and marmots. They are opportunistic feeders, meaning they will eat anything that is available to them, including berries, insects, nuts, eggs and fungi. 

Habitat and distribution 

Pine martens are  found throughout Canada’s boreal or mixed-wood forests but often prefer older forests with more woody debris. However, a combination of deforestation, fur trapping, predator control and forest fires have caused pine marten populations to decline in recent years. 

In the maritimes, a subspecies of pine martens, Newfoundland martens, faced extinction in the late 1990s, when the population dipped below 300 individuals. The good news is that martens are now protected under the Species at Risk Act, and their populations have since made an incredible recovery.