The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a carnivore found throughout North America, ranging from southern Canada to Mexico. This medium-sized wild cat typically weighs between 14 to 40 pounds and is a highly adaptable generalist predator whose diet is determined by local prey availability. As winter arrives, the bobcat’s foraging strategy shifts to cope with colder temperatures and limited accessibility of food resources, leading to a focused diet on prey that remains active during the snowy months.
Staple Prey in Winter
The core of the bobcat’s winter diet consists of small to medium-sized mammals. Lagomorphs, specifically snowshoe hares and cottontail rabbits, often make up the majority of the bobcat’s food intake in many regions. In the northern and eastern parts of its range, the snowshoe hare is a significant food source because it remains active year-round and is well-adapted to snowy environments. Rodents also constitute a consistent food base for the bobcat when snow depth increases. Voles and various species of mice and squirrels, such as red squirrels and fox squirrels, are consumed in high numbers, as bobcats focus on easily overpowered species.
Supplemental and Emergency Food Sources
When primary prey populations are low or difficult to access beneath deep snow, bobcats become more opportunistic, seeking out supplemental food sources. Carrion, particularly from white-tailed deer and other large ungulates, is a common and important addition to the winter diet in many northern populations. Although bobcats can kill larger animals, much of the deer consumed is scavenged from animals that died from starvation, disease, or hunter kills. The predation of larger prey, such as adult deer, usually targets sick, weakened, or younger individuals. Other supplemental items include ground-dwelling birds like grouse and wild turkey, as well as smaller furbearers like muskrat and beaver, which are taken when encountered.
Winter Hunting Tactics and Adaptations
The challenge of hunting in winter forces bobcats to adjust their behavior and utilize specific techniques to conserve energy and locate prey. They will often shift their activity period to be more diurnal, or active during the day, which aligns with the movements of their prey in colder weather. Bobcats are primarily ambush predators, relying on stealth and patience to secure a meal. They use a distinctive pouncing technique to capture small rodents moving in the subnivean layer, the insulating space beneath the snowpack. While they lack the massive, snowshoe-like paws of the Canada lynx, their dense winter coat provides the necessary insulation to withstand the cold temperatures.