Animal matter:
* Insects: This is their primary food source, especially beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, and caterpillars.
* Small mammals: Mice, rats, voles, and shrews.
* Birds and eggs: Occasionally they'll prey on birds and their eggs.
* Reptiles and amphibians: Frogs, snakes, and lizards.
* Carrion: They're known to scavenge on dead animals.
Plant matter:
* Fruits: Berries, apples, peaches, and other fruits are a common part of their diet.
* Roots and tubers: They'll dig for roots and tubers when available.
* Grains: They might eat grains like corn or wheat.
Skunks are opportunistic feeders, meaning they'll eat whatever is most readily available. Their diet varies depending on the season, location, and availability of food.
While they are known for their strong odor, they are not scavengers in the sense of only eating garbage or rotting food. Their diet is much more diverse than that.