Weasels and Stoats

[deckardcanine]

Weasels and stoats are both small, slender mustelids,
Sinuous, short-legged, feisty, and fleet.
So how do we tell them apart? Well, for starters,
The stoats prefer rabbits, not voles, for their meat.

Their bodies, especially male ones, are bigger
Than weasels’, though not to a major degree.
Their tails are much longer and have a black tip
All year round, while the weasels’ are harder to see.

Both creatures are white on the underside, only
The weasels have patches of brown on their throats.
They run a bit faster and low to the ground,
While you’ll notice more bounce in the steps of the stoats.

The stoats are more likely to whiten in winter
And live for a decade instead of three years.
In Ireland, you’ll find only stoats (but called “weasels”).
I trust that’s enough information, so cheers.