Prairie dogs are highly social, burrowing rodents native to the grasslands of North America, where they play a significant ecological role. Their complex underground colonies, often called “towns,” alter the local environment and support other wildlife. Understanding their feeding habits provides insight into the health and function of the grassland biome they inhabit.
The Core Diet: Grasses and Forbs
Prairie dogs are herbivores, and their diet consists almost entirely of plant material. The bulk of their daily intake, up to 95%, is composed of grasses and forbs. Grasses, which are rich in fiber, are a staple food and include species like blue grama, buffalo grass, and wheatgrass. They consume the leaves, stems, and seeds of these plants, providing the sustained energy needed for constant activity and burrow maintenance.
Forbs, which are broad-leafed herbaceous plants, constitute a significant portion of their foraging efforts. These plants include wildflowers, weeds, and clover, offering vitamins and minerals that complement grasses. Prairie dogs are selective feeders, often targeting the most nutritious parts of the vegetation, such as young shoots and tender leaves. By grazing selectively, they influence local plant communities, often creating a landscape of shorter, more nutrient-dense plants.
Supplemental Foods and Moisture Acquisition
While their diet is overwhelmingly plant-based, prairie dogs opportunistically consume other items for nutrition. Seeds are a valued food source, particularly in the fall, as they contain fat and protein necessary for building energy reserves. They also consume roots, especially when surface vegetation is dry or sparse, accessing these subterranean parts by digging.
Small invertebrates, such as grasshoppers and beetles, are eaten occasionally, providing protein and nutrients not readily available in grasses. This faunal matter generally makes up less than one percent of their total diet. Prairie dogs rarely need to drink open water, an important adaptation to their arid environment. Instead, they acquire nearly all the moisture required for survival directly from the succulent vegetation they consume.
Foraging Behavior and Seasonal Adaptations
Prairie dogs are diurnal, and their foraging behavior is linked to predator avoidance. They consistently clip vegetation close to the ground, which provides food and maintains a clear line of sight to spot predators like coyotes and raptors. This constant grazing modifies the landscape around their burrows, encouraging the growth of new, high-quality forage.
The prairie dog diet shifts with the seasons to match resource availability. During the lush spring and summer, they primarily focus on fresh, green grasses and forbs, which are at peak nutritional value. As fall approaches, they increase their intake of seeds and roots to accumulate fat reserves necessary for surviving the cold season. While some species enter a state of torpor during severe winter, most remain active year-round, relying on stored fat and accessible roots or dried grasses.