Diets of the Black-tailed Hare in Steppe Vegetation

Abstract

Thirteen species of plants were identified in fecal pellets of black-tailed hares collected from sagebrush and bitterbrush communities in southcentral Washington. Microscopic analysis of plant fragments indicated that yarrow was the most common food item in the diet, making up 25% of the overall diet. Other food items in decreasing order of importance were: turpentine cymopterus > hoary aster > needleandthread > and Jim Hill mustard. Preference indices indicated that needleandthread was the most preferred plant in the sagebrush community, while yarrow was the most preferred plant in the bitterbrush community. Although the communities were not similar in plant species frequency of occurrence and cover, the hare diets were quite similar in both communities, indicating that hares were actively seeking preferred foods.