Mammals
Pine Marten
Martes martes · Jder de copac
An agile forest marten with a creamy-yellow throat patch, living a secretive life in old woods.
At a glance
- Status in Romania
- Resident
- Habitat
- Forest / Mountain
- Activity
- Evening · Night
- Diet
- Mainly carnivorous with a varied diet: mice, shrews, squirrels, small and larger birds, frogs, beetles, worms and larvae. Feeds on carrion especially in winter; also honey, mushrooms and forest fruit.
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (IUCN)
- Photography difficulty
- Difficult
Photography Guide
Practical starting points based on the species’ behaviour and habitat, not fixed rules.
- Where and how to look
- Old forest in the hills and mountains; tracks in snow are often the best sign.
- Best time / activity
- Evening · Night
- Photography difficulty
- Difficult
- Starting shutter speed
- Light under the canopy is low; around 1/500 sec is a reasonable start for an animal at rest.
- Ethics
- Never wait at dens or resting sites, never bait, and keep any encounter short — these animals are easily disturbed.
Identification
Brown marten, usually slightly paler than the Beech Marten, with a large cream or yellowish throat-and-chest patch that is not split on the chest, a long bushy tail and relatively large ears. Darker nose than the Beech Marten.
Habitat
Mainly crepuscular and nocturnal, but unlike the Beech Marten it can be active by day, especially in summer. Prefers old forest, most often conifer or mixed, also deciduous; also uses rocky areas. Avoids open ground by day.
Approximate range in Romania
Diet
Mainly carnivorous with a varied diet: mice, shrews, squirrels, small and larger birds, frogs, beetles, worms and larvae. Feeds on carrion especially in winter; also honey, mushrooms and forest fruit.
Behaviour
Hard to see because of its retiring way of life.