---
title: "Masked Shrew"
description: "Sorex cinereus — Mammals. The cinereus shrew or masked shrew (Sorex cinereus) is a small shrew found in Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/masked-shrew
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Masked Shrew

> Sorex cinereus — Mammals. The cinereus shrew or masked shrew (Sorex cinereus) is a small shrew found in Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States.

- Scientific name: *Sorex cinereus*
- Category: `mammals` (Mammals)
- Habitats: `forest` (Forest)
- iNaturalist observations: 3017
- Wikidata: [Q469038](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q469038)
- iNaturalist taxon: [59815](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/59815)

## Names

- en: Masked Shrew
- de: Amerikanische Masken-Rotzahnspitzmaus
- es: Musaraña enmascarada
- fr: Musaraigne cendrée
- nl: Amerikaanse gemaskerde spitsmuis
- pl: Ryjówka popielata

## Countries with the most observations

US (1016), CA (485)

## Summary

The cinereus shrew or masked shrew (Sorex cinereus) is a small shrew found in Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States. This is the most widely distributed shrew in North America, where it is also known as the common shrew.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinereus_shrew

## Photo

![Masked Shrew](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/masked-shrew/medium.jpg)

Photo: steve b · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/66521939

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/masked-shrew?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).