Head to head
Bank Vole vs Water Vole
The bank vole and water vole are both European rodents important to their respective ecosystems, but their population fortunes and habitats have diverged sharply in recent decades.
| Bank Vole | Water Vole | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Myodes glareolus | Arvicola amphibius |
| Habitat | Woodland and grassland | Riverbanks and wetlands |
| Population status | Common and widespread | Collapsed across much of Britain |
| Main threat | None significant | Predation by introduced American mink |
| Cultural legacy | None notable | Inspiration for Ratty in The Wind in the Willows |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Population trend | Stable | Decreasing |
| Habitat | Forest, grassland | Wetlands, grassland |
Bank Vole vs Water Vole: common questions
Why has the water vole declined so much more than the bank vole?
The water vole has suffered a catastrophic decline across Britain driven largely by predation from the introduced American mink, a threat the bank vole does not face to the same degree, since it occupies woodland and grassland habitat rather than the riverbanks the mink hunts along most effectively.
Which of these two voles inspired a famous literary character?
The water vole is widely believed to be the inspiration for the character Ratty in the classic children's novel The Wind in the Willows, a cultural legacy the bank vole does not share despite being an equally common and ecologically important small mammal across Europe.
Why is the bank vole important to woodland ecosystems?
This species forms a key part of the diet for owls, foxes, and weasels across European woodland, and its short lifespan combined with a rapid reproductive rate helps sustain stable predator populations throughout the year, a role distinct from the water vole's more habitat-specific ecological importance.