r/animalid • u/Difficult-Waltz-2070 • 10d ago

Scat identification - nw Ontario 💩💩 SCAT ID REQUEST 💩💩

Found these on my deck right next to each other as shown in nw Ontario this morning (neither was there previous evening). Would love to know what they were.

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u/sachmo_plays 10d ago edited 10d ago

They look like 2 different kinds. The smaller one that is more plentiful looks maybe like a rabbit/prey animal. The bigger pile looks more like a fox/predator animal.

My dog will mark urine or feces when another animal leaves scat in the yard. She is a hunting dog.

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u/m_zelenka 10d ago

Agree about the bigger pile. The smaller one looks like grouse droppings

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u/sachmo_plays 10d ago

Interesting. I’m in New England and have never seen a grouse. Now I know what they are. Thanks.

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u/Difficult-Waltz-2070 9d ago

Oh thanks! So the pellets of plant material look like grouse- we do have grouse everywhere so that makes sense just never thought of it… the other one I was thinking was most likely fisher/marten/skunk/fox but don’t know how to differentiate. Any thoughts?

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u/strix_nebul0sa 7d ago

I think the "predator pile" (the abundant one is absolutely, 100% grouse scat!) is mustelid scat.

Size and season would indicate mink or marten. I'm leaning marten, because it looks like that scat is mostly all from one meal (fitting with an animal that would eat a squirrel, rabbit...grouse...and be happy for a bit, as opposed to a mink eating a mouse, some carrion, maybe a fish, etc).

How close to heavy coniferous forest and/or water (creeks, swamps, ponds, lake or river) are you? I feel most of NW Ont fits the description of "Close by to both those things, why are you even asking?" but there are pockets (thinking of the area around Emo) that are more open farmland...which might suggest a small skunk.

When was this photo taken, and about what temperature was it the night the scat was left? Asking to help rule out small skunk.

u/Difficult-Waltz-2070 4d ago

Thanks for your thoughts- they make sense to me. The evening before the temp was relatively mild if I recall (say teens F). We have mixed deciduous coniferous forest nearby and are on a large lake.