The barren-ground shrew is a shrew of Arctic tundra. It has a brown dorsal stripe, a pale underside, and a two-toned tail, although detailed life-history records are limited.
Adults have a brown stripe along the back, with whitish sides, belly, and feet. The tail is dark near its base and paler toward the tip.
Adults molt twice a year. The cited species account does not specify the timing of each molt in more detail.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.