American Marten
Scientific Name: Martes americana
The American Marten (hereafter “marten”) is a member of the weasel family. They are larger than the short and long-tailed weasels, but smaller than fishers, with a bushy tail and partially retractable claws. Coat coloring ranges from yellowish brown to reddish brown with the legs and tail darker than the rest of the body. The color of the head and neck is lighter with cream-colored to light orange patches on the throat and chest. They have rounded ear, a pointed nose, and triangular head shape. Their claws are long, sharp, and curved.
Marten are often confused with fisher. The fisher can be found throughout most of New York's marten range and is similar in appearance and tracks, but the fisher is much larger in size than the marten, and often much darker in color.
Adult size: Up to 2 feet in length from nose to tip of tail
Weight: 1.3 to 3.5 lbs with females smaller than males
Life span: 10 to 15 years
Maturity: 2 years
Litter size: Up to 5 young, 2 to 3 most common
Fun Fact
Martens are both shy and curious, they may be difficult to find and observe but you might catch them peaking in your Adirondack cabin window when you least expect it!
Diet
Martens are omnivores. Favorite prey items include voles, mice, and red squirrels but they also consume berries, nuts, flying squirrels, rabbits, other small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and birds.
Habitat
American Martens are found primarily in mature, northern forests. These animals are closely associated with pine, fir, spruce, and mixed hardwood forests. They tend to be found in structurally complex, mature forests, and can occur at all elevations where such habitat exists.
This type of environment provides ideal sites for them to den and also great habitat for their primary prey species the red squirrel. They den in hollow trees, crevices, or vacant ground burrows.
Behavior
Martens are semi-arboreal. They can leap 15 feet from a tree into snow to capture prey. They are most active at dusk and dawn but can flexible on what part of the day or night they are active depending on the activity of their current prey during the season. The are primarily solitary except for during mating season.
They mark scent trails from tree to tree with their strong scent glands. In spite of this, they are reported to do most of their hunting on the ground. In addition, these animals are accomplished swimmers and can even swim under water.
Martens maintain several dens within their home ranges (averaging around 2 sq mi for males or closer to 1 sq mi for females). They may den in downed logs, under stumps, or in old Pileated Woodpecker nesting cavities.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Mating has been described as polygynous. During estrus, females use scent marks to advertise their sexual condition. Courtship between males and females can be quite protracted, and involves tumbling, playing and wrestling. In captivity, females reportedly exhibit between 1 and 4 periods of sexual receptivity, each of which lasts from 1 to 4 days. These occur at 6 to 17 day intervals throughout the breeding season. Pregnancy lasts 9 months in marten although they have delayed implantation so the fetus develops in the last few months of pregnancy.
Population Status
Collection of pelts has reduced populations in many parts of the species range. The destruction of coniferous forest habitat has also led to decreased numbers. In spite of these threats, American martens are not considered endangered.
Distribution has remained restricted to the Adirondack and Tug Hill regions of New York, despite habitat and prey elsewhere in the state, although evidence suggests they are stable.
Viewing
They are most abundant in the old growth forest of the Adirondack High Peaks. You might spot one at the summit!
Range
Marten’s are found in the northern reaches of North America. They can be found sporadically throughout NYS. By the 1930s the range of the marten had shrunk from covering most of the state to a core area in the central Adirondacks. Since then, reforestation and limited trapping has lead to their expansion over much of the Adirondack park (except the far southeastern section) even into area just north of the park within the Sable Highlands and into the Tug Hill region.
For more information on American Marten in New York please visit the NYSDEC page here.