Prairie dog in prairie species such as the black-footed ferret, swift fox, golden eagle, red tailed hawk, American badger, coyote and ferruginous hawk. Other species, such as the golden-mantled ground squirrel, mountain plover, and the burrowing owl, also rely on prairie dog burrows for nesting areas. Even grazing species, such as plains bison, pronghorn, and mule deer have shown a proclivity for grazing on the same land used by prairie dogs. Nevertheless, prairie dogs are often identified as pests and exterminated from agricultural properties because they are capable of damaging crops, as they clear the immediate area around their burrows of most
Black-tailed prairie dog coccinea") and Russian thistle ("Salsola kali") are preferred during late summer and fall, but are sought out during every season. During winter, plains prickly pear ("Opuntia polyacantha"), Russian thistle, and underground roots are preferred. Shrubs such as rabbitbrush ("Chrysothamnus" spp.), winterfat ("Krascheninnikovia lanata"), saltbush ("Atriplex" spp.), and sagebrush ("Artemisia" spp.) are also commonly eaten. Water, which is generally not available on the short-grass prairie, is obtained from vegetation such as plains prickly pear. Koford estimated one black-tailed prairie dog eats about 7 lb (3 kg) of herbage per month during summer. Cutworms, grasshoppers, and old or fresh American bison scat