* Grasses: They prefer short, green grasses, especially in the spring and summer.
* Forbs: These are non-grassy flowering plants.
* Herbaceous plants: This includes any plants that grow from a single stem, including wildflowers, legumes, and other herbaceous plants.
* Roots and tubers: They will occasionally dig up roots and tubers for sustenance.
* Seeds: They may eat seeds from various plants.
They do not eat meat.
Their diet is influenced by the season and the availability of food in their environment. During the summer months, they eat mostly grasses and forbs, while during the winter, they rely more on roots and tubers.
It's important to note that black-tailed prairie dogs do not eat insects like some other rodents do.