Prairie dog itself more noticeable to the predator. Predators, though, seem to have difficulty determining which prairie dog is making the call due to its "ventriloquistic" nature. Perhaps the most striking of prairie dog communications is the territorial call or "jump-yip" display of the black-tailed prairie dog. A black-tailed prairie dog will stretch the length of its body vertically and throw its forefeet into the air while making a call. A jump-yip from one prairie dog causes others nearby to do the same. Ecologists consider this rodent to be a keystone species. They are an important prey species, being the primary diet
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