If you do catch a glimpse of evidence from this elusive pooper, then it will look similar to what it eats - wood! The small droppings have a texture resembling sawdust. Their scat is hard to see, since they usually poop in water. They are herbivores and will consume bark from trees, such as aspen, willow and birch, aquatic plants and grasses. Not too big, not too smallīeavers can be found across Canada, in lakes, ponds and rivers that have access to woody vegetation. Larger piles indicate that the species was eating or resting at the spot for a long time. This species' scat is formed into small, almost completely round pellets. Eastern cottontail rabbits are herbivores and have a diet that includes grasses, and, in winter, seedlings and bark from trees and shrubs. This species lives primarily in southern parts of Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, and was introduced to BC in the 1950s and 60s. Red and grey squirrels’ scat is similar - smooth ovals measuring 0.5 to 1 centimetre in length.Įastern cottontail scat (Photo by Chase Wastesicoot) Grey squirrels prefer deciduous forests and have a range throughout southern Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.īoth are omnivorous and feed on seeds and berries, but will occasionally eat eggs, birds, mice and insects. The little guysĪ common forest dweller across Canada, the red squirrel can be found specifically in boreal coniferous and mixed forests. This is especially helpful with large mammals as their scat is typically bigger. Having a general idea of what species live in the area and what they eat is a good start to deciphering scat.
Learn more with this mammal identification and tracking guide.
Scat is a great way to identify a species and, in some cases, what that species ate before leaving a little present for you to identify. It’s important to note that you should never handle scat with your bare hands, as it could contain parasites or diseases that are dangerous to humans. Bear scat (Photo by Diana Bizecki Robson)
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