In this guide, we’ll answer the question:
“What do kangaroos eat?”
First, you’ll find a short summary of what kangaroos eat in nature, then get a list of a kangaroo’s favorite foods that make up a typical kangaroo diet. And finally, answers to common questions about kangaroo feeding habits and nutrition.
Kangaroos are a marsupial from the family Macropodidae in the order Diprotodontia and are indigenous to Australia and New Guinea.
What Do Kangaroos Eat?
Kangaroos eat grass, ferns, flowers, and leaves because they are herbivores. However, a tree kangaroo’s diet is not limited to plants, as they also eat meat, particularly bird hatchlings, bird eggs, and small animals. A kangaroo diet is determined by the availability of vegetation and prey in its habitat.
Kangaroo Diet (Favorite Foods)
- Bamboo
- Willow branches
- Maple
- Eggs
- Hatchlings
How Often Does a Kangaroo Eat?
A kangaroo often eats 6-10 hours a day and spends the rest of the day on other activities. Kangaroos prefer eating at night or early in the morning because of the cooler temperatures.
How Much Do Kangaroos Eat Per Day?
Kangaroos eat approximately 20 to 40 pounds of food per day. The amount of food that a kangaroo eats depends on the diet and the species.
How Long Can Kangaroos Live Without Food?
Kangaroos can live for a few days without food but survive several months without water. A kangaroo can live for long periods without drinking water because the body gets hydrated by the moisture in the plant-based diet.
Do Kangaroos Eat Meat?
Kangaroos do not eat meat because they lack the equipment to capture and kill animals or a digestive system to handle a meat-based diet unless it’s a tree kangaroo that does consume small animals like birds.
However, according to an article by Australian Geographic, carnivorous macropods (kangaroo species that went instinct years ago, had teeth that were well adapted to eating meat, particularly birds.
Do Kangaroos Eat Bananas?
Kangaroos do eat bananas and other fruit like apples and grapes. However, fruits should be cut into small pieces and sprinkled over a kangaroo’s pellet to make it easier for it to eat.
Do Kangaroos Eat Humans?
Kangaroos do not eat humans and will only attack humans if the kangaroo feels threatened or convinced you’re withholding food from it. Habituated kangaroos are known to attack humans with their forepaws because of their aggressive traits.
What Animals Eat Kangaroos?
Kangaroos are prey to a number of different species.
You can visit our other guide on what animals eat kangaroos to find out which predators actively feed on these marsupials.
Kangaroos Eating Habits and Diet Summary
You now know what do kangaroos eat in the wild as well as the typical food in a kangaroo diet.
As you discovered in this guide, kangaroos are herbivores that feed on vegetation for nutrition, except for tree kangaroos that are omnivores. For the most part, a kangaroo’s favorite food is things like grass, flowers, and leaves.
I’m the lead editor and writer for Animal Answer Guide. I enjoy sharing expert knowledge on the various characteristics of common species within the five distinct groups of animals: amphibians, birds, fish, mammals, and reptiles.
