Grasses:
* Grasses: Elk favor a wide variety of grasses, including:
* Bluegrass: Kentucky bluegrass, rough bluegrass, and other varieties.
* Fescue: Tall fescue and other varieties.
* Wheatgrass: Western wheatgrass and other varieties.
* Prairie grasses: Big bluestem, Indian grass, switchgrass, and others.
* Sedges: Elk also eat sedges, which are often found in wet areas.
Other Plant Materials:
* Forbs: These are non-grassy flowering plants, including clover, dandelion, and wildflowers.
* Browse: This includes twigs, leaves, and buds from trees and shrubs, such as willows, aspen, and maple.
Factors Influencing Diet:
* Season: Their diet changes seasonally. During the spring and summer, they eat more grasses and forbs. In the fall and winter, they rely more heavily on browse and sedges.
* Location: The specific types of plants elk consume vary based on their geographic location and the available vegetation.
* Availability: Elk will eat whatever is most abundant and accessible in their environment.
It's important to note that elk are grazers, meaning they graze on the ground. They don't typically climb trees to reach browse, but they will eat lower-growing branches and leaves.