Cattails (genus Typha) are common wetland plants found across North America and globally. They are easily recognized by their tall, grass-like leaves and distinctive brown, cylindrical flower spikes. These plants are integral components of wetland ecosystems, serving as a food source for diverse wildlife. Cattails thrive in wet, mucky soils and shallow water, playing a role in stabilizing shorelines and filtering water.
Mammals That Consume Cattails
Muskrats are prominent consumers of cattails, using them for food and building materials. They frequently consume the starchy rhizomes, which are underground stems, as well as the tender shoots, stalks, and leaves. Muskrats often create feeding platforms from cattail parts and can significantly impact cattail stands through their foraging.
Deer and elk also browse on cattails, particularly on the fresh, young shoots that emerge in spring. Beavers, while primarily known for consuming woody vegetation, also eat cattails. They especially favor the rhizomes and succulent leaves, particularly during winter when other food sources may be scarce. Rodents such as voles may also consume cattail seeds. Raccoons might consume tender cattail shoots and rhizomes.
Birds That Utilize Cattails for Food
Many avian species consume cattails directly or prey on insects found within cattail stands. Red-winged blackbirds feed on cattail seeds, especially outside of the breeding season when seeds become a more significant part of their diet. These birds, along with other songbirds like marsh wrens and yellow-headed blackbirds, also forage on the flower heads. Cattail seeds provide a reliable food source, especially during migration or in winter months when other options are limited.
Waterfowl, including ducks, geese, and swans, also consume cattails. They eat the tender green shoots, roots, and seed heads. These birds often use dense cattail stands for nesting and raising their young, benefiting from both the food source and the protective cover.
Insects and Aquatic Organisms Feeding on Cattails
Cattails provide sustenance for a variety of insects and aquatic organisms in wetland environments. The cattail borer (Bellura obliqua), a moth, has larvae that tunnel into cattail stems. These caterpillars feed on the plant’s tissues, including the leaves and stems, and can overwinter within the cattail heads. Aphids are another group of insects that feed on cattails, consuming plant sap. Various other beetles, flies, and moth caterpillars also inhabit and feed on different parts of the cattail plant, from rhizomes to seeds.
Aquatic invertebrates, such as crayfish, graze on the stems, leaves, and decomposing parts of cattails. Some fish species eat cattail rhizomes or find shelter and spawning grounds among the submerged parts of the plants. This interplay highlights the foundational role of cattails in sustaining a diverse range of smaller wetland inhabitants.