Omnivore

Crows are omnivores.

An omnivore (from Latin: omne all, everything; vorare to devour) is a species of animal that eats both plants and animals as its primary food source. They are opportunistic, general feeders not specifically adapted to eat and digest either meat or plant material exclusively.Adapted from a talk by John McArdle, Ph.D.. Humans are Omnivores. Vegetarian Resource Group. Retrieved on 2007-12-29. Pigs are one well-known example of an omnivore.Brent Huffman. Family Suidae (Pigs). UltimateUngulate.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-29. Crows are another example of an omnivore that many people see every day. Seattle Audubon Society. Family Corvidae (Crows/Ravens). BirdWeb.org. Retrieved on 2007-12-31.

Although there are reported cases of herbivores eating meat matter as well as examples of carnivores eating plants, the classification refers to the adaptations and main food source of the species in general so these exceptions do not make either individual animals nor the species as a whole omnivores.

Most bear species are considered omnivores, but individuals\' diets can range from almost exclusively herbivorous to almost exclusively carnivorous depending on what food sources are available locally and seasonally. Polar bears can be classified under carnivorous while pandas almost exclusively eat bamboo and are therefore herbivores.

Species considered omnivorous

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• Various mammals
  • Bears
  • Coatis
  • Hedgehogs
  • Opossums
  • Pigs
  • Some primates including chimpanzees and humans
  • Raccoons
  • Rodents, including Chipmunks, Mice, Rats and Squirrels
  • Skunks
• Various birds (whose prey can consist of berries and nectar to small rodents and snakes)
  • Cassowarys
  • Chickens
  • Corvids, including Crows, Magpies, Ravens and Rooks
  • Keas
  • Rails
  • Rheas
• Some fish such as Piranhas
• Some lizards and turtles

See also

• Carnivore
• Detritivore
• Herbivore
• Insectivore
• Feeding

References

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