Stomach contents of badgers (Meles meles L.) in central Switzerland

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Abstract
We report the contents of 138 badger stomachs collected in central Switzerland between 1973 and 1982. Fifty-three stomachs were classified as ''empty'' (ie containing less than 20 ml of material). The contents of the remaining 85 stomachs were analysed in terms of the volume of material in each of eight categories: voles, slugs, earthworms, wasps, cherries, plums, maize, and ''other''. The main conclusions are: 1) There were no sex differences either in the total volume of stomach contents, in the proportion of stomachs classified as ''empty'', or in the relative importance of different prey types. 2) Earthworms (Lumbricus sp.) were the most important prey type overall, accounting for 25% by volume of total stomach contents and occurring in 54% of stomachs. Wasps, cherries, plums and maize each contributed between 10 and 20% of total contents; slugs and voles were less important prey. 3) Earthworms were eaten frequently but were not usually present in large volumes in any one stomach. Wasps, cherries, plums and maize, by contrast, were eaten infrequently but in large volumes; and sometimes they were the only prey eaten in a single night. 4) A variety of foods which were present in the environment and which are known to be eaten by badgers elsewhere (eg. acorns, apples, wheat) did not appear in the stomach contents. 5) It is misleading to characterise badgers either as food specialists or as generalists. Consumption of any one food in any one night depends on a variety of factors, including availability of that food, availability of alternatives, intrinsic taste preferences and previous experience.