Alligators are opportunistic carnivores with a diet that varies depending on their age and the availability of prey. Juvenile alligators primarily eat insects, amphibians, small fish, and other invertebrates, which provide essential nutrients for their growth
. Adolescent alligators expand their diet to include larger fish, amphibians, crustaceans, birds, and small mammals near the water's edge
. Adult alligators consume a wide variety of prey including rough fish, snakes, turtles, small mammals like raccoons and muskrats, birds such as ducks and herons, and even smaller alligators. They are capable of taking down larger prey using ambush tactics and their powerful bite, sometimes performing a "death roll" to subdue prey
. Alligators mainly hunt aquatic and semi-aquatic animals but will eat any animal that comes close to the water. Their diet can include fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and carrion
. In summary, alligators eat fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, small mammals, insects, crustaceans, and carrion, with the specific diet depending on their size and age
