Martens are agile, carnivorous mammals inhabiting various forested regions across the Northern Hemisphere. These members of the weasel family exhibit remarkable adaptability, reflected in their diverse diet. Their ability to switch between different food sources throughout the year allows them to thrive in a range of habitats, from dense coniferous forests to mixed woodlands. This flexibility helps martens persist even when preferred prey populations fluctuate.
Primary Food Sources
Martens primarily rely on a diet of small mammals. Voles, including meadow voles and red-backed voles, are frequently consumed and are often a dominant food item across the marten’s geographic range. Other small rodents like mice, shrews, and chipmunks also constitute a significant portion of their diet. Larger mammals such as squirrels, including red squirrels and flying squirrels, along with snowshoe hares and rabbits, are also preyed upon, particularly in certain regions or during specific seasons.
Martens are active and skilled predators, employing their agility and keen senses to capture prey. They primarily forage on the ground, often moving in zig-zags and jumps, investigating crevices, logs, and stumps in search of food. Their semi-retractable claws allow them to climb trees with ease, enabling them to chase and capture arboreal prey like squirrels. Martens typically dispatch their prey with a quick, powerful bite to the back of the neck.
During winter, broad feet and fur-covered soles help them navigate deep snow, and they may tunnel beneath the snowpack to find prey. Birds and their eggs are also a consistent part of their diet year-round.
Seasonal and Supplemental Foods
Beyond their staple small mammal diet, martens demonstrate a highly opportunistic feeding strategy, incorporating a wide array of seasonal and supplemental foods. During warmer months, their diet expands to include various fruits and berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, and wild strawberries. In some areas, these plant materials can constitute a notable percentage of their summer and autumn diet. Nuts, like beechnuts, are also consumed when available.
Insects, including beetles, grasshoppers, and even wasps, are opportunistically eaten, especially during summer when they are more abundant. Martens also consume carrion, particularly when primary prey is scarce, making use of carcasses left by other predators or those found incidentally. Other less common but recorded dietary items include fungi, honey, reptiles, and amphibians. This dietary flexibility allows them to adjust to changing food resources across different seasons and environments.