OCCLUSION of the rodent middle cerebral artery by embolism, using an intraluminal filament, produces behavioral alterations which resemble many symptoms associated with stroke. This model has been used to examine treatment interventions for the disease, however, variable success rate in completely blocking the middle cerebral artery may present inconclusive interpretation of the data. To detect successful occlusion of the middle cerebral artery, we demonstrate here sensitive and reliable behavioral parameters including the elevated body swing test, the postural tail-hang test, the spontaneous rotational test, and the forelimb akinesia test. These assays provide a criterion for identifying animals with incomplete occlusion which could promote host-related spontaneous recovery and might confound true effects of experimental therapies on ischemia-induced dysfunctions. From a practical standpoint, the early reliable identification of partial cerebral ischemia aids in immediate and efficient adjustments of the surgical procedure to create a complete and stable ischemia stroke animal model.