Editing Sassafras (section)

== Ecology ==
[[File:AbbotV1Tab02A.jpg|thumb|right|''S. albidum'' is a host plant for the [[spicebush swallowtail]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|editor-last=Capinera |editor-first=John L. |editor-link=<!--John L. Capinera--> |entry=Butterfly gardening |title=Encyclopedia of Entomology |edition=2 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |year=2008 |entry-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i9ITMiiohVQC&pg=PA683 |page=683 |isbn=<!--1402062427, -->9781402062421}}</ref>]]
The leaves, bark, twigs, stems, and fruits are eaten by birds and mammals in small quantities. For most animals, sassafras is not consumed in large enough quantities to be important, although it is an important deer food in some areas. Carey and Gill rate its value to wildlife as fair, their lowest rating. Sassafras leaves and twigs are consumed by [[white-tailed deer]] and [[porcupine]]s. Other sassafras leaf browsers include [[groundhog]]s, [[marsh rabbit]]s, and [[American black bear]]s. Rabbits eat sassafras bark in winter. [[American beaver]]s will cut sassafras stems.  Sassafras fruits are eaten by many species of birds, including [[bobwhite quail]], [[eastern kingbird]]s, [[great crested flycatcher]]s, [[Phoebe (bird)|phoebes]], [[wild turkey]]s, [[grey catbird|gray catbird]]s, [[northern flicker]]s, [[pileated woodpecker]]s, [[downy woodpecker]]s, [[thrush (bird)|thrushes]], [[vireo]]s, and [[northern mockingbird]]s. Some small mammals also consume sassafras fruits.<ref name="feis">This section incorporates text from a public domain work of the US government: {{FEIS |type=tree |genus=Sassafras |species=albidum  |last=Sullivan |first=Janet |year=1993}}</ref>