[citation needed] This animal is found in northern coniferous and deciduous forests of North America.

[13] Pygmy shrews are distributed throughout the subalpine and boreal areas of North America, ranging from Canada and Alaska[5] to the Great Lakes and south along the Appalachians.

Notably, the geographically isolated pygmy shrews found in the mountain forests of northern Colorado and south-central Wyoming are a unique relictual group from the Pleistocene/Holocene transition, classified as the subspecies S. hoyi montanus.

[8] Although S. hoyi prefers moist habitats, it has been recorded to live in areas with both wet and dry soil.

"[8] S. h. hoyi has a broader range of habitat but is still mostly found in wet prairies and wetland margins.

[8] Primarily insectivorous, this animal forages in moist soil and dead leaves to find its prey.

Because of this high metabolism, the pygmy shrew never sleeps more than a few minutes at a time, as it is in a constant search for food.

Predators of the American pygmy shrew include hawks, brook trout, owls, snakes, and domestic cats.

[11] When feeling threatened or scared, the shrews make a sharp squeaking noise and run for cover.

"[10] Due to its high metabolism, the pygmy shrew is active year-round and does not engage in any form of torpor or hibernation.