Beaver Scat and Tracks: How to Identify Them (Castor canadensis)

Beaver sign: scat size, shape and contents, track size, toes and gait, and how to tell it from Muskrat and Nutria, quoted from state wildlife agencies, the National Park Service and the CDC.

Do not handle droppings bare-handed and do not sniff or dry-sweep them; several of the animals here carry parasites or viruses that spread through scat and dust. These pages report what wildlife agencies and the CDC say; they are not medical advice.

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At a glance

Scientific name: Castor canadensis
Scat: Contents/color: Made mostly of wood fiber, it breaks apart quickly in water · Where: Because it defecates in water, droppings are hard to find; sometimes visible on ice in winter
Tracks: Front: Front footprint about 3.5 inches long, 5 toes but often only 3-4 register · Hind: Hind footprint about 6-7 inches long and 5 inches wide, webbing between the toes though the webbing does not always register clearly · Toes: 5 toes on both front and hind feet, hind feet webbed · Gait: The flat tail often drags a mark down the middle of the trail, sometimes obscuring the footprints

Reading Beaver sign: start here

Rodent droppings are small and dark; shape and size are the first cut (rice-grain with pointed ends for mice, blunt and larger for rats, oval pellets for squirrels and voles). Tracks show four toes on the front foot and five on the hind, and most rodents bound, so the larger hind prints land ahead of the front prints. Gnaw marks with paired incisor grooves are often the clearest sign. The measurements below for Beaver are quoted from the wildlife agencies linked at the bottom of the page.

Beaver scat: what it looks like

Contents/color: Made mostly of wood fiber, it breaks apart quickly in water
Where: Because it defecates in water, droppings are hard to find; sometimes visible on ice in winter

Beaver tracks

Front: Front footprint about 3.5 inches long, 5 toes but often only 3-4 register
Hind: Hind footprint about 6-7 inches long and 5 inches wide, webbing between the toes though the webbing does not always register clearly
Toes: 5 toes on both front and hind feet, hind feet webbed
Gait: The flat tail often drags a mark down the middle of the trail, sometimes obscuring the footprints

Other sign to look for

Gnawed downed trees/stumps, waterways, dams, and lodges: Downed trees or stumps with distinctive gnaw marks, waterways leading to feeding areas, lodges, and dams are all signs of Beaver presence
Diameter of gnawed trees: Usually gnaws down small trees under 8 inches in diameter, but can also fell large trees over 5 feet in diameter

Beaver vs Muskrat

The Muskrat's tail is long and narrow, flattened vertically, while the Beaver's tail is wide and flattened horizontally The Muskrat page has its own sign list.

Beaver vs Nutria

The Nutria's tail is round in cross-section

How to photograph sign for identification

Put something of known size next to it (a coin, a pen, a boot) and shoot straight down in soft light; low side light brings out the shape of tracks in mud or snow. For scat, photograph the whole deposit and one close-up showing contents. Note where it was: on a log, in the open, on a trail, near water. The app suggests the likely animal; confirm with the size and shape notes above.

FAQ

What does Beaver poop look like?

Contents/color: Made mostly of wood fiber, it breaks apart quickly in water. Where: Because it defecates in water, droppings are hard to find; sometimes visible on ice in winter.

What do Beaver tracks look like?

Front: Front footprint about 3.5 inches long, 5 toes but often only 3-4 register. Hind: Hind footprint about 6-7 inches long and 5 inches wide, webbing between the toes though the webbing does not always register clearly. Toes: 5 toes on both front and hind feet, hind feet webbed. Gait: The flat tail often drags a mark down the middle of the trail, sometimes obscuring the footprints.

How do I tell Beaver sign from Muskrat?

The Muskrat's tail is long and narrow, flattened vertically, while the Beaver's tail is wide and flattened horizontally

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