Foods of American badgers in west-central Minnesota and southeastern NorthDakota during the duck nesting season

Although the American badger (Taxidea taxus) is common in grasslands and pr eys on a wide diversity of foods including birds, little is known about bad ger diet in areas where nesting ducks are common. Small mammals, primarily Muridae and Geomyidae, were the most common food items in the diet of badge rs collected from west-central Minnesota and southeastern North Dakota duri ng April-July 1987 through 1990, based on analysis of gastrointestinal trac ts of 47 adult (greater than or equal to 1-y-old) and 5 juvenile (<6-mo-old ) badgers. Remains of mammals occurred in 98% of samples from adult badgers . Small quantities of insects were found in 40% of adult samples. Bird rema ins were in 32% of adult samples, most birds identified Anatidae: ducks or ducklings occurred in 27% and duck eggs in 60% of those samples. Remains of reptiles. amphibians and mollusks were present, but were less common than other foods. Insects and bird eggs were more common during spring (April-Ma y) than summer (June-July). Birds were more frequent in diets of adults tha n juvenile badgers.