Raccoons, with their distinct masked faces and agile paws, are highly adaptable omnivores found across various habitats. They are widespread, inhabiting environments from dense forests to bustling urban centers. Their ability to thrive in diverse settings is largely due to their varied diet and opportunistic feeding behaviors.
Diverse Natural Food Sources
In their natural, undisturbed habitats, wild raccoons consume a wide array of foods, showcasing their opportunistic nature. Plant-based items form a significant part of their diet, including fruits, berries, nuts, seeds, and grains. They readily forage for wild fruits like cherries, apples, and beechnuts, along with acorns and corn when available. Raccoons also consume various plant materials, such as vegetation and even grasses, especially when other food sources are scarce.
Beyond plant matter, raccoons actively seek out invertebrates, which can make up about 40% of their diet. This includes a variety of insects like crickets, beetles, grasshoppers, grubs, worms, earthworms, snails, and slugs. These protein-rich sources are important during warmer months when insect populations are abundant. Raccoons often dig into soil or rotting logs to uncover these creatures.
Small vertebrates also contribute to a raccoon’s diet, though they are not primary hunters of larger animals. They opportunistically prey on rodents such as mice, rats, voles, and occasionally young rabbits or squirrels. Bird eggs and nestlings are common targets, especially during nesting season, with raccoons raiding nests on the ground and in trees. Amphibians like frogs and salamanders, small snakes, and even turtles and their eggs are consumed. Raccoons also scavenge carrion.
Aquatic life is a favored food source, especially for raccoons living near water bodies like streams, ponds, and marshes. Their dexterous paws are well-suited for feeling underwater to catch crayfish, which can be a significant portion of their diet during summer, as well as fish, clams, and other shellfish.
Dietary Adaptations by Season and Environment
A raccoon’s diet changes significantly with the seasons and its environment. In warmer months, particularly spring and summer, their diet leans towards abundant insects, worms, and new vegetation. As summer progresses, they shift to readily available fruits, berries, and corn. This seasonal availability dictates their foraging focus.
As autumn approaches, raccoons intensify their feeding to prepare for colder weather. Their diet shifts to calorie-dense foods such as nuts, including acorns, hickory nuts, and beechnuts, along with fruits and grains. This increased intake helps them build up a thick layer of fat under their skin, which acts as insulation and an energy reserve for winter. Raccoons can gain up to one-third of their total body weight in the fall to sustain them through periods of reduced activity.
During winter, when natural food sources become scarce, raccoons may enter a state of torpor, a temporary reduction in metabolic activity, rather than full hibernation. While less active, they will still emerge on milder days to forage for remaining nuts, berries, or available insects. They adapt their diet to what is available, relying on stored foods or scarce winter offerings.
Habitat also influences their diet. Raccoons in forested areas primarily consume nuts, berries, and tree-dwelling insects. Those near wetlands or rivers, however, show a strong preference for aquatic life, such as crayfish, frogs, and fish, which they skillfully catch from shallow waters. Coastal regions offer abundant crabs and shellfish, further diversifying their diet.
Urban Foraging and Human-Provided Foods
In areas influenced by human habitation, raccoons incorporate human-provided food sources into their diets. They frequently scavenge through trash cans, dumpsters, and compost bins for discarded food scraps. This behavior is a common reason for their presence in urban and suburban environments, as these locations offer readily accessible, high-calorie meals.
Gardens and cultivated crops also become significant food sources for raccoons in human-dominated landscapes. They raid gardens for fruits like strawberries, peaches, pears, apples, and melons. Vegetables such as sweet corn, peas, and potatoes are also popular targets. Raccoons consume corn ears directly from the stalks.
Pet food left outdoors is another major attractant for raccoons, drawing them to residential properties. They will readily consume dog and cat food, often returning repeatedly to a reliable source. Bird feeders are also frequently raided by raccoons for seeds, nuts, and suet. Their climbing abilities and dexterity allow them to access these elevated food sources. These human-influenced food items supplement their natural diet, enabling raccoons to thrive near people.