Factsheet F41: Vaccinium – the blueberry family

Blueberries and cranberries in many forms have been gathered from the wild and eaten by people for thousands of years. The berries are also appreciated by many birds (grouse, partridge, quail, American robins, European blackbirds and thrushes) and many mammals. In North America the berries form an important part of the diet of bears and chipmunk, while deer, elk, rabbit and hare graze on the leaves and young stems.