The mountain lion, or Puma concolor, is a large, solitary apex predator with the widest distribution of any terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. These powerful cats roam across diverse habitats, from mountain ranges and forests to deserts and swamps. As obligate carnivores, they must consume meat exclusively to survive. This article examines the mountain lion’s diet, focusing on established feeding patterns to address whether avian species, such as hawks, form part of their sustenance.
Primary Prey: The Ungulate Foundation
The foundation of the mountain lion’s diet across its range is consistently composed of large ungulates, which are hoofed mammals. Deer species, including mule deer and white-tailed deer, form the bulk of the prey base in terms of frequency of kills. In areas where they are available, larger ungulates like elk and moose are also taken regularly.
Mountain lions are highly specialized ambush predators whose success depends on securing the greatest caloric return for the energy expended on a kill. Killing one large deer provides far more sustenance than attempting to catch several smaller animals. For this reason, the focus on large prey is an optimized survival strategy, particularly for adult females feeding growing kittens.
The hunting strategy is a swift, solitary attack, typically involving a bite to the neck or throat to quickly subdue the animal. While deer are the most frequent prey, studies show that larger animals like elk can contribute a higher total biomass to the mountain lion’s diet. A single kill of a large animal can sustain the cat for a week or more, depending on the size of the prey and the cat’s energetic needs.
Methods for Analyzing Predation
Researchers employ several scientific methodologies to accurately determine the diet and predatory behavior of mountain lions.
GPS Collar Tracking
One primary method involves the use of GPS collars placed on the cats to monitor their movements. These devices record location points multiple times a day, and biologists look for “clusters” of locations where a lion has spent an extended period of time. Field investigators then visit these clustered sites to confirm if a kill occurred, identify the species, and determine the age and sex of the prey. This direct evidence provides statistical data on the frequency of different prey species and the total biomass consumed, which helps to distinguish between predation and scavenging events.
Scat Analysis
Another non-invasive technique is the analysis of scat, or fecal matter, which contains undigested remains of consumed prey. Traditional scat analysis involves visually identifying materials like hair, bone fragments, and feathers under a microscope. Newer molecular diet analysis techniques use DNA extraction from the scat matrix to precisely identify the prey species.
Stable Isotope Analysis
Stable isotope analysis provides a longer-term view of the mountain lion’s diet over weeks or months. By analyzing the ratios of stable isotopes, particularly carbon and nitrogen, in the cat’s tissues or scat, scientists can infer the animal’s trophic level and the types of ecosystems it foraged in. This chemical signature helps to confirm the overall dietary pattern established by kill-site investigations and scat content.
Dietary Flexibility: Secondary Prey and Avian Consumption
Mountain lions exhibit generalist hunting behavior, consuming a variety of secondary prey opportunistically. This flexibility is particularly important when primary prey populations are scarce, or for younger, less experienced lions. These secondary prey items are typically smaller mammals that are easier to subdue.
The roster of smaller animals consumed includes coyotes, raccoons, porcupines, rabbits, skunks, and various rodents. These mesocarnivores and lagomorphs are taken as a supplement to the diet, but they do not provide the same caloric efficiency as a large deer. The consumption of these smaller animals ensures survival when a large kill is not possible.
Avian consumption falls into this category of opportunistic feeding, and evidence is typically found through the presence of feathers in scat samples. The birds consumed are almost exclusively ground-dwelling species, such as wild turkeys or quail, that can be surprised on the forest floor. These birds are a minor component of the overall diet.
Feathers in scat confirm that birds are occasionally eaten, but the hunting technique for this prey is generally one of chance encounter rather than targeted pursuit. Researchers note that a mountain lion consuming a small bird will often ingest it nearly whole, unlike a bird of prey that carefully plucks feathers before consumption.
The Likelihood of Mountain Lions Eating Hawks
The scientific evidence indicates that the consumption of aerial raptors like hawks is highly improbable. Mountain lions are terrestrial, ambush hunters optimized for bringing down large, four-legged prey on the ground. Their hunting strategy does not align with capturing a fast-moving bird capable of flight.
A mountain lion would only consume a hawk if it were found injured, deceased, or otherwise incapacitated on the ground, making it an easy target for scavenging. This would be an anecdotal event, not a systemic dietary behavior. Predation on birds of prey is seldom recorded as a statistically significant part of their diet across any studied population.