Winter food habits and foraging behaviour of fishers ( Martes pennanti ) and martens ( Martes americana ) in southeastern Manitoba

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Author: Raine, R. Michael
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1987
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Martes americana
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z87-112; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z87-112

A tracking study of fishers, Martes pennanti, and American pine martens, Martes americana, conducted over two winters in southeastern Manitoba showed that both species preyed heavily on snowshoe hares, Lepus americanus, during a period of hare abundance. Fishers had an 84.3% frequency occurrence (n = 159) of hares in their scats, while martens had a frequency occurrence of 58.9% (n = 107). Martens had a higher frequency of microtincs and red squirrels, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, in their diets than did fishers. This difference was reflected in the foraging behaviour of the two species, with martens exhibiting more subnivean and arboreal behaviour than fishers.