The brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) is an incredibly adaptable mammal and can be found almost everywhere in the UK, in any habitat, all it needs is shelter and food. Brown rats are omnivorous, eating pretty much anything, from fruit and seeds to human food waste, insects, birds’ eggs or even small mammals. Brown rats live in loose colonies and dig their own burrows. They are famously effective and proficient breeders; a female brown rat can breed from around 3 months old, and has an average of five litters a year, each of up to 12 young.
These Rats were photographed at Yorkshire Photographic Hides near Leeds / Bradford, they weren’t my primary target species but when they are present they have to be photographed. They are certainly interesting to watch as they scurry about on their daily business, scavenging for food, patrolling boundaries and interacting with one another.