also: しょっこん
feeding signs; traces of feeding
Refers to marks left by animals while feeding, such as tooth marks on nuts, holes in leaves, or gnawed bark. Used in biology, ecology, and nature observation.
From the feeding signs left on the walnut shell, you can tell a squirrel ate it.
The many small holes in the leaves are feeding signs of insects.
Compound of 食 (eating) and 痕 (mark, trace). The reading しょっこん is a euphonic change from しょくこん.