The European polecat's diet consists of mouse-like rodents, followed by amphibians and birds.
Its most frequent prey item in the former Soviet Union is the common vole and rarely the red-backed vole.
In large river floodlands, water vole are common prey.
In spring and winter, amphibians (especially grass frogs and green toads) become important food items.
Selective predation on male frogs by the polecat decreases the occurrence of polyandry in frog populations.
However, because amphibians have little calorific value, the polecat never grows fat on them, no matter how many it consumes.
In Central Europe, the diet in winter months is dominated by birds including quail, grey partridges, grouse, chickens,  pigeons and passerines.
Seasonal changes in the activity rhythm is synchronised with the activity of the main prey.
Some species only rarely preyed upon by the polecat include European hedgehogs, asp vipers, grass snakes, lizards and insects.
In the British Isles, it commonly kills brown rats and European rabbits, and is capable of killing larger prey, such as geese and hares.
One polecat was reported to frequently wait at a riverbank and catch eels, which it took back to its burrow.
The polecat feeds on eels mostly during lengthy frosts when eels, unable to breathe air at regular intervals because of the ice, congregate at breathing holes.
Unlike the stoat and weasel, the polecat readily eats carrion, including that of large ungulates.
The European polecat hunts its prey by stalking it and seizing it with its canine teeth, killing the animal with a bite to the neck.
This killing method is instinctive, but perfected with practice.
The polecat sometimes caches its food, particularly during seasonal gluts of frogs and toads.
Sometimes, the polecat does not kill these, but bites them at the base of the skull, thus paralyzing them and keeping them fresh for later consumption.
Although they are normally shy around humans, naturalist Alfred Brehm in his Brehms Tierleben mentions an exceptional case in which three polecats attacked a baby in Hesse.
During the winter period, when live prey is scarce, the European polecat may raid beehives and feed on the honey.
The European polecat's diet consists of mouse-like rodents, followed by amphibians and birds. Its most frequent prey item in the former Soviet Union is the common vole and rarely the red-backed vole. In large river floodlands, water vole are common prey. In spring and winter, amphibians (especially grass frogs and green toads) become important food items. Selective predation on male frogs by the polecat decreases the occurrence of polyandry in frog populations. However, because amphibians have little calorific value, the polecat never grows fat on them, no matter how many it consumes. In Central Europe, the diet in winter months is dominated by birds including quail, grey partridges, grouse, chickens,  pigeons and passerines. Seasonal changes in the activity rhythm is synchronised with the activity of the main prey. Some species only rarely preyed upon by the polecat include European hedgehogs, asp vipers, grass snakes, lizards and insects. In the British Isles, it commonly kills brown rats and European rabbits, and is capable of killing larger prey, such as geese and hares. One polecat was reported to frequently wait at a riverbank and catch eels, which it took back to its burrow. The polecat feeds on eels mostly during lengthy frosts when eels, unable to breathe air at regular intervals because of the ice, congregate at breathing holes. Unlike the stoat and weasel, the polecat readily eats carrion, including that of large ungulates. The European polecat hunts its prey by stalking it and seizing it with its canine teeth, killing the animal with a bite to the neck. This killing method is instinctive, but perfected with practice. The polecat sometimes caches its food, particularly during seasonal gluts of frogs and toads. Sometimes, the polecat does not kill these, but bites them at the base of the skull, thus paralyzing them and keeping them fresh for later consumption. Although they are normally shy around humans, naturalist Alfred Brehm in his Brehms Tierleben mentions an exceptional case in which three polecats attacked a baby in Hesse. During the winter period, when live prey is scarce, the European polecat may raid beehives and feed on the honey.
European polecat