Yes—many animals eat mushrooms and other fungi, but “love” is headline language rather than a scientific ranking. Some animals nibble an occasional fruiting body, while others depend heavily on underground, truffle-like fungi. A 2022 global review found 1,154 references documenting fungi in the diets of 508 mammal species across 15 orders, yet it also concluded that most species cannot be confidently classified by how important fungi are to their diets.
The 11 examples below represent documented mushroom and fungus eaters from different regions. They are not ranked, and a record of an animal eating fungi does not mean mushrooms are its main food.
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How to interpret a mushroom-eating animal
“Mushroom” can mean an above-ground cap and stem, a puffball or bracket fungus, or an underground truffle-like fruiting body. Animals encounter these foods under different conditions: after rain, during a seasonal food shortage, while digging for invertebrates, or as part of a specialized foraging strategy.
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The strongest global evidence comes from the peer-reviewed review Mammalian mycophagy: A global review of ecosystem interactions between mammals and fungi (2022). Its database contains diet records, observations and other reports, but many studies did not measure the proportion of fungi in the diet. Fungal tissue can also break down in an animal’s gut, leaving little recognizable material for researchers to identify. Regional research is uneven, so an absence of records is not proof that a species never eats fungi.
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Fungi can provide water, minerals, carbohydrates and other nutrients, and animals can move spores after eating fruiting bodies. Spore dispersal is especially plausible for mammals that consume underground fungi and pass viable spores in their droppings, but it is an interaction documented for some species, not a guaranteed result of every bite.
11 documented animals that eat mushrooms and other fungi
The list is arranged for comparison, not from most enthusiastic to least enthusiastic. Geography, season and the kind of fungus available can change what an individual animal eats.
| Animal | Typical fungal food | What the evidence shows | Where the example applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western gray squirrel | Underground fungi and some mushrooms | Regular fungal feeding is reported; rodents can disperse spores. | Regional North American studies |
| Eastern gray squirrel | Above-ground mushrooms | Cited literature distinguishes its preference from that of western gray squirrels. | Regional North American studies |
| Mice | Above-ground and underground fungi | Many rodent species appear in mammal diet records. | Multiple regions |
| White-tailed deer | Available mushrooms and other fungi | One food among many; consumption varies with availability. | North America |
| Elk | Fungi encountered while foraging | Observed eating fungi in some regions and seasons. | North American regional observations |
| Potoroos | Truffle-like underground fungi | Fungi make up at least 30–40% of the diet overall, with species variation. | Australia |
| Bettongs | Truffle-like underground fungi | Fungi make up at least 30–40% of the diet overall, with species variation. | Australia |
| Wild turkey | Mushrooms and other fungi | Crop and dropping analyses include fungi, especially in summer and fall. | Ohio and nearby North American contexts |
| Cassowary | Recorded fungal fruiting bodies | Documented Australian observation, not a measure of its total diet. | Australia |
| Eastern blue-tongued lizard | Underground fungus | An observation describes it digging up and eating a subterranean fungus. | Australia |
| Banana slug | Several mushroom groups | Pacific Northwest observations describe a preference for multiple mushroom groups. | Pacific Northwest, United States |
1. Western gray squirrels
Western gray squirrels are among the clearest familiar examples of mammalian mycophagy. The U.S. Forest Service’s regional account of fleshy fungi eaten by wildlife records western gray squirrels consuming subterranean fungi. The global mammal review also identifies rodents as potentially important fungal-spore dispersers because spores can survive passage through the gut and be deposited elsewhere. These records show repeated use, not that every western gray squirrel seeks mushrooms on every outing. See the regional source at Fleshy Fungi Commonly Eaten.
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Eastern gray squirrels are often seen handling conspicuous mushrooms on the forest floor. The same Forest Service literature distinguishes eastern gray squirrels, which favor above-ground mushrooms in the cited regional studies, from western gray squirrels’ documented use of subterranean fungi. A squirrel carrying or chewing a mushroom is useful evidence of consumption, but an observation alone does not establish how much fungi contribute to its annual calories.
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3. Mice and other small rodents
Mice represent a much broader category than one species. The 2022 mammal review compiles fungal records for numerous rodents across several continents. Small rodents can find fruiting bodies that larger animals miss, and some dig for underground fungi. Because rodent diets shift with seed crops, insects, weather and habitat, a fungus record should be read as part of a flexible omnivorous diet rather than proof of specialization.
4. White-tailed deer
White-tailed deer browse fungi when they are available, alongside leaves, shoots, fruits and other foods. The University of Missouri Extension account of white-tailed deer ecology lists mushrooms among foods deer may eat, while emphasizing the diversity of the species’ diet. A mushroom-heavy patch in a yard or woodland can therefore attract a deer temporarily without making fungi a staple food.
5. Elk
Elk also appear in regional records of animals that forage on fungi. Oregon State University Extension’s homeowner-focused discussion notes that deer and elk eat fungi in some regions and seasons: Who ate my mushroom? The seasonal qualification matters. Elk may encounter mushrooms while grazing and browsing, but the available evidence does not support calling fungi a constant or dominant component of every elk population’s diet.
6. Potoroos
Australian potoroos are unusually fungus-dependent compared with the casual mushroom eating familiar from many North American mammals. The Australian National Botanic Gardens reports that truffle-like fungi make up at least 30–40% of potoroo and bettong diets overall, with substantial variation among species: Fungi and vertebrates. Potoroos locate these underground fruiting bodies by smell and dig them from soil and leaf litter. Their feeding can move spores through the landscape, linking the animals’ survival to fungal reproduction.
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7. Bettongs
Bettongs, small Australian marsupials related to potoroos, share this underground-fungus dependence. The same Australian overview gives the 30–40% figure for potoroos and bettongs generally, while warning that proportions differ among species and conditions. One especially striking value is reported for the long-footed potoroo: truffle-like fungi account for about 80–90% of its diet. That figure is species-specific and should not be generalized to every bettong or potoroo.
8. Wild turkeys
Wild turkeys eat a varied diet that includes seeds, plant matter and invertebrates, and fungi show up in analyses of what they consume. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources notes that crop and dropping examinations find fungi in wild turkey diets, particularly in summer and fall. Its 2026 publication, Mushrooms of Ohio: Benefits for Wildlife, places mushrooms within a seasonal, mixed diet rather than presenting them as a preferred staple.
9. Cassowaries and other Australian birds
Cassowaries are one of several Australian birds with recorded fungal feeding. The Australian National Botanic Gardens overview also mentions observations involving malleefowl, brush turkeys and emus. These are examples, not a complete bird list: the source explicitly notes that birds and fungi have not been studied systematically. A field observation can establish that a bird ate a fruiting body, but it cannot by itself show how important fungi are across the year.
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An eastern blue-tongued lizard provides an unusual reptile example. The Australian account describes one digging up and eating a subterranean fungus and summarizes reports involving several lizard species. This behavior may reflect opportunistic feeding on a nutritious, scent-detectable food. It should not be expanded into a claim that lizards generally seek mushrooms; the evidence is regional and observational.
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11. Banana slugs
Banana slugs are conspicuous mushroom consumers in the Pacific Northwest. Oregon State University Extension notes their preference for several mushroom groups, making them a likely explanation when a soft mushroom in a damp garden disappears overnight. Slugs and snails rasp or consume tender fungal tissue, and many other invertebrates feed on fungi as well. The 2023 review Mycophagy: A Global Review of Interactions between Invertebrates and Fungi describes this diversity while noting that the evidence base is uneven across taxa.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What animals eat: above-ground mushrooms versus underground fungi
Where an animal feeds can be as informative as what it eats.
- Above-ground fruiting bodies: Squirrels, deer, turkeys, slugs and snails can bite caps, stems and other exposed tissues. These mushrooms are easy to observe, so casual feeding records are relatively common.
- Underground truffle-like fungi: Potoroos, bettongs, western gray squirrels and some mice dig through soil or litter. Their noses and foraging behavior help them find fungi that people may never see.
- Mixed strategies: Many rodents and omnivores use whichever fungal form is available, along with plants, seeds, insects or other foods.
Underground fungi are especially important in spore dispersal studies. An animal eats the fruiting body, travels, and deposits spores in its feces. Whether those spores germinate depends on soil, moisture, plant partners and other conditions, so “spore disperser” describes a potential ecosystem role, not a guarantee that every feeding event creates a new fungus.
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Why a mushroom can vanish from your yard
If a mushroom disappears, several animals could be responsible. Slugs and snails leave rasped edges or slime trails. Squirrels may leave torn pieces, bite marks or a cap carried away. Deer and elk can remove a whole cluster while browsing. Mice may nibble at night and leave little visible evidence. Birds can peck exposed portions, while underground feeders may disturb soil without leaving an intact mushroom behind.
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Timing and habitat provide clues: damp nights favor slugs, fresh fruiting after rain creates opportunities for many species, and a trampled or dug patch may indicate a larger mammal or a digging specialist. These clues identify likely visitors, not the exact species with certainty.
Does an animal eating a mushroom mean it is safe?
No. Wildlife feeding is not an identification or toxicity test for people or pets. An animal may tolerate compounds that harm another species, eat only a non-toxic part, or consume too little to show visible effects. The sources cited here document diet and ecology; they do not certify any mushroom as edible for humans or domestic animals. Keep unknown mushrooms away from pets and children, and consult a qualified local poison-control or veterinary service immediately if ingestion is suspected.
How strong is the evidence for “loving” mushrooms?
Evidence falls along a spectrum:
- Quantified diet share: The long-footed potoroo’s reported 80–90% and the broader 30–40% estimates for potoroos and bettongs are the strongest numerical examples here.
- Diet analysis: Turkey crop and dropping studies demonstrate ingestion but still reflect a particular place and season.
- Repeated regional records: Squirrel, deer and elk accounts show recurring use under documented conditions.
- Single or limited observations: The cassowary and blue-tongued lizard examples confirm that feeding occurs, not that fungi dominate those animals’ diets.
- Indirect traces: Missing mushrooms, tooth marks or disturbed soil can suggest a visitor but rarely identify it conclusively.
The global mammal review’s 508-species total demonstrates how widespread fungal consumption is, while its warning about uncertain fungal identification and unmeasured diet proportions prevents an exaggerated conclusion. “Eats mushrooms” is often a solid statement; “depends on mushrooms” requires much stronger, species-specific evidence.
Bottom line
Mushroom eating spans rodents, hoofed mammals, marsupials, birds, reptiles, slugs and other invertebrates. Potoroos and bettongs stand out for their high reliance on underground fungi, while squirrels, deer, elk, turkeys and banana slugs are more familiar opportunistic consumers. Treat each record as a statement about a species, region and season—not as proof that every animal loves mushrooms or that a mushroom eaten by wildlife is safe for you or your pets.
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