The Living Forest (20) : Acorns

The Living Forest (20) : Acorns

Last weeks I was exploring several forests in the Belgian Ardennes.
This is the 20th. picture of a series illustrating the living forest.

An important aspect of the forest is providing food for the animals living there, like acorns (the nut of an oak tree).
Acorns are one of the most important wildlife foods in areas where oaks grow.

Animals that make acorns an important part of their food include birds, such as jays, pigeons, some ducks and several species of woodpeckers.

Small mammals that feed on acorns include mice and squirrels.

Large mammals as wild boars and deer also consume big amounts of fallen down acorns; they may constitute up to 25% of the food of deer in the autumn.

However, acorns are toxic to some other animals, such as horses !