Relationships of
Vertebrate Animals
to this Plant:
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Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion) [Asteraceae]
(observations are from Lindroth & Batzli, Schwartz, Martin et al., Ernst et al., Cole & Batzli, Lagler, Romain et al., Korschgen, Whitaker, Bennetts, Mosnier et al., Buech, DeVore et al., Myers et al., and Beal)
Birds
Cardinalidae: Passerina cyanea (Indigo Bunting) [feeds on the seeds during spring] Dv2004; Emberizidae: Spizella passerina (Chipping Sparrow) [feeds on the seeds] Dv2004; Fringillidae: Spinus tristis (American Goldfinch) [seeds comprise 2-5% of the diet in E USA during fall & winter] MZN1951; Parulidae: Setophaga kirtlandii (Kirtland's Warbler) [this plant provided protective cover & it was located within 1 meter of the nest sites 10% of the time in Michigan] Bch1980; Phasianidae: Bonasa umbellus (Ruffed Grouse) [leaves comprise 0.5-2% of the diet in the Northeast during winter, feeds on leaves in Wisconsin & Ontario during fall & winter] MZN1951 Bnn1900, Perdix perdix (Hungarian Partridge) [seeds & leaves comprise 2-5% of the diet in the Northeast during spring & summer] MZN1951, Tympanuchus cupido (Greater Prairie Chicken) [seeds, flowerheads, & leaves eaten during spring for 2 months, seeds & leaves comprise 0.5-2% of the diet in Wisconsin during summer, this plant has average importance as a source of food in Missouri] Swz1945 MZN1951 Krs1962; Turdidae: Turdus migratorius (American Robin) [the seeds are eaten rarely] Be1915
Mammals
Cervidae: Odocoileus virginianus (White-tailed Deer) [1% of deer droppings contained viable seeds of this plant in New York] Myr2004; Cricetidae: Microtous ochrogaster (Prairie Vole) [feeds on this plant] CB1979, Microtus pennsylvanicus (Meadow Vole) [shoots of this plant comprise 17.4% of the diet, this plant has above-average preference as a food source] LB1984, Microtus pinetorum (Woodland Vole) [feeds on taproot & leaves] MZN1951; Sciuridae: Ictidomys tridecemlineatus (Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel) [flowerheads & seeds comprise 0.9% of the diet by volume and 2.2% by frequency in Indiana] Wh1972; Ursidae: Ursus americanus (American Black Bear) [foliage & flowerheads & seeds found in scats 28% of the time in Ontario, leaves & flowerheads are a minor dietary item in Quebec during the spring] ROA2013 MOC2008
Turtles
Emydidae: Graptemys insculpta (Wood Turtle) [feeds on leaves] Lg1943, Terrapene ornata (Ornate Box Turtle) [feeds on this plant] EBL1994