A brown shape slips into the water, and the first guess is often a beaver. Look for the tail when you can. A North American beaver has a broad, flattened paddle, while a muskrat has a thin, flattened tail and a nutria…
Items 14 The creator’s order
1 Nutria A nutria has a stout brown body, orange front teeth, and a blunt, pale muzzle. Look for the thin, round tail when it reaches shore. The beaver’s broad paddle is often the quickest way to separate these two animals in the same marsh. 0 2 Muskrat The muskrat’s small rounded head can look like a young beaver’s when it crosses a pond. Watch for its narrow tail, flattened from side to side, and its compact body. A beaver carries a much broader tail, flattened from top to bottom. 0 3 North American river otter An otter’s head and shoulders can break the surface like a beaver’s. Watch for a long, muscular tail and a much more streamlined body. The long, low outline is particularly easy to see when the otter comes ashore. 0 4 Eurasian beaver This is the close lookalike for a reason. It’s one of the two living beaver species, with the same thick body and a flattened tail. The Eurasian species tends to have a narrower tail than the North American species. Location is a more dependable first clue than size in a quick sighting. 0 5 North American beaver Reference species for comparison. Look for a broad, flat paddle attached to a stocky body. The tail lies flat when the beaver sits on the bank. From the water’s edge, look for the outline of the whole tail before deciding whether a brown swimmer is a beaver. 0 6 Capybara A capybara’s barrel-shaped body and high-set eyes can bring a beaver to mind, especially in the water. A view from shore reveals its taller stance, longer legs, and almost no visible tail. In its native South American wetlands, capybaras often feed in groups along the bank. 0 7 Groundhog A groundhog’s rounded shoulders, small ears, and brown coat can look beaver-like beside a path. Look for its short, furry tail and a burrow on dry land. A mound of excavated soil and open grass nearby can give you useful context. 0 8 American mink A mink swimming along the edge of a pond can show only a brown head above the water. Watch it come ashore and look for a slim body, a pointed face, and a long furry tail. It’s usually much smaller than a beaver and quick along the bank. 0 9 Mountain beaver The name and squat rodent shape are the source of the resemblance. This animal spends much of its time in burrows in moist areas of the Pacific Northwest. Its tail is very short, so a whole-body view makes the distinction easier. 0 10 Platypus The platypus shares the neat trick of a broad, flattened tail that’s easy to see in profile. Its leathery bill and webbed front feet settle the identification, as does a sighting in the wild in eastern Australia. Look at the head in any photo that shows the tail alone. 0 
NutriaA nutria has a stout brown body, orange front teeth, and a blunt, pale muzzle. Look for the thin, round tail when it reaches shore. The beaver’s broad paddle is often the quickest way to separate these two animals in the same marsh.0
MuskratThe muskrat’s small rounded head can look like a young beaver’s when it crosses a pond. Watch for its narrow tail, flattened from side to side, and its compact body. A beaver carries a much broader tail, flattened from top to bottom.0
North American river otterAn otter’s head and shoulders can break the surface like a beaver’s. Watch for a long, muscular tail and a much more streamlined body. The long, low outline is particularly easy to see when the otter comes ashore.0
Eurasian beaverThis is the close lookalike for a reason. It’s one of the two living beaver species, with the same thick body and a flattened tail. The Eurasian species tends to have a narrower tail than the North American species. Location is a more dependable first clue than size in a quick sighting.0
North American beaverReference species for comparison. Look for a broad, flat paddle attached to a stocky body. The tail lies flat when the beaver sits on the bank. From the water’s edge, look for the outline of the whole tail before deciding whether a brown swimmer is a beaver.0
CapybaraA capybara’s barrel-shaped body and high-set eyes can bring a beaver to mind, especially in the water. A view from shore reveals its taller stance, longer legs, and almost no visible tail. In its native South American wetlands, capybaras often feed in groups along the bank.0
GroundhogA groundhog’s rounded shoulders, small ears, and brown coat can look beaver-like beside a path. Look for its short, furry tail and a burrow on dry land. A mound of excavated soil and open grass nearby can give you useful context.0
American minkA mink swimming along the edge of a pond can show only a brown head above the water. Watch it come ashore and look for a slim body, a pointed face, and a long furry tail. It’s usually much smaller than a beaver and quick along the bank.0
Mountain beaverThe name and squat rodent shape are the source of the resemblance. This animal spends much of its time in burrows in moist areas of the Pacific Northwest. Its tail is very short, so a whole-body view makes the distinction easier.0
PlatypusThe platypus shares the neat trick of a broad, flattened tail that’s easy to see in profile. Its leathery bill and webbed front feet settle the identification, as does a sighting in the wild in eastern Australia. Look at the head in any photo that shows the tail alone.0