These bracts form the chaff removed from cereal grain during threshing and winnowing.

Other significant dietary sources include green beans, eggs, sunflower seeds, wheat flour, lentils, cucumbers and cereal grain.

The seeds of plantain are a common contaminant in cereal grain and other crop seeds.

The seeds are eaten as a cereal grain.

It also eats cultivated cereal grain, smaller amounts of fruit, small mammals, acorns, small birds, their eggs and young and carrion.