Snowshoe hares prefer branches, twigs, and small stems up to 0.25 inch (6.3 mm) diameter; larger stems are sometimes used in winter.
In Yukon, they normally eat fast-growing birches and willows, and avoid spruce.
At high densities, however, the apical shoots of small spruce are eaten.
The snowshoe hare winter diet is dominated by bog birch (Betula glandulosa), which is preferred but not always available.
Greyleaf willow (Salix glauca) is eaten most often when bog birch is not available.
Buffaloberry (Shepherdia canadensis) is the fourth most common diet item.
White spruce (Picea glauca) is eaten, but not preferred.
In Alaska, spruce, willows, and alders comprise 75% of snowshoe hare diets; spruce needles make up nearly 40% of the diet.
In northwestern Oregon, winter foods include needles and tender bark of Sitka spruce, Douglas-fir, and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla); leaves and green twigs of salal; buds, twigs, and bark of willows; and green herbs.
In north-central Washington, willows and birches are not plentiful; snowshoe hares browse the tips of lodgepole pine seedlings.
In Utah, winter foods include Douglas-fir, willows, snowberry (Symphoricarpos spp.),
maples, and serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.).
In Minnesota, aspens, willows, hazelnut (Corylus spp.),
ferns (Pteridophyta spp.),
birches, alders, sumacs (Rhus spp.),
and strawberries (Fragaria spp.)
are winter foods.
Winter foods in New York include eastern white pine, red pine (Pinus resinosa), white spruce, paper birch, and aspens.
In Ontario, sugar maple (Acer saccharum), striped maple (A. pensylvanicum), red maple, other deciduous species, northern white-cedar (T. occidentalis), balsam fir, beaked hazelnut (C. cornuta), and buffaloberry were heavily barked.
In New Brunswick, snowshoe hares consumed northern white-cedar, spruces, American beech (Fagus grandifolia), balsam fir, mountain maple (A. spicatum), and many other species of browse.
In Newfoundland, paper birch is preferred.
Further details on regional food preferences are summarized in Snowshoe hare and allies:
Recent studies show that Snowshoe hares also eat meat including flesh from their own species.
Snowshoe hares prefer branches, twigs, and small stems up to 0.25 inch (6.3 mm) diameter; larger stems are sometimes used in winter. In Yukon, they normally eat fast-growing birches and willows, and avoid spruce. At high densities, however, the apical shoots of small spruce are eaten. The snowshoe hare winter diet is dominated by bog birch (Betula glandulosa), which is preferred but not always available. Greyleaf willow (Salix glauca) is eaten most often when bog birch is not available. Buffaloberry (Shepherdia canadensis) is the fourth most common diet item. White spruce (Picea glauca) is eaten, but not preferred. In Alaska, spruce, willows, and alders comprise 75% of snowshoe hare diets; spruce needles make up nearly 40% of the diet. In northwestern Oregon, winter foods include needles and tender bark of Sitka spruce, Douglas-fir, and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla); leaves and green twigs of salal; buds, twigs, and bark of willows; and green herbs. In north-central Washington, willows and birches are not plentiful; snowshoe hares browse the tips of lodgepole pine seedlings. In Utah, winter foods include Douglas-fir, willows, snowberry (Symphoricarpos spp.), maples, and serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.). In Minnesota, aspens, willows, hazelnut (Corylus spp.), ferns (Pteridophyta spp.), birches, alders, sumacs (Rhus spp.), and strawberries (Fragaria spp.) are winter foods. Winter foods in New York include eastern white pine, red pine (Pinus resinosa), white spruce, paper birch, and aspens. In Ontario, sugar maple (Acer saccharum), striped maple (A. pensylvanicum), red maple, other deciduous species, northern white-cedar (T. occidentalis), balsam fir, beaked hazelnut (C. cornuta), and buffaloberry were heavily barked. In New Brunswick, snowshoe hares consumed northern white-cedar, spruces, American beech (Fagus grandifolia), balsam fir, mountain maple (A. spicatum), and many other species of browse. In Newfoundland, paper birch is preferred. Further details on regional food preferences are summarized in Snowshoe hare and allies:
Recent studies show that Snowshoe hares also eat meat including flesh from their own species.
Snowshoe hare