Animal Feeding Categories
CARNIVORES - Animals that eat other animals
The characteristics in common amongst carnivores are that these animals live on protein diets - and have an excellent sense of smell.  Each has its own physical characteristic - sharp teeth / beaks for biting, gripping and tearing flesh, and claws for grasping, stabbing and shredding.  Carnivores tend to be agile and fast with strong, powerful bodies.

  • Carnivores relying solely on animal flesh for their nutrient requirements are considered obligate carnivores
  • Carnivores that also consume non-animal food are considered facultative carnivores

There are different types of feeding strategies for meat eaters.  Here are some examples:
Avivore  ....................................................
Insectivore ...............................................
Piscivore ...................................................
Sanguinovre ............................................
Scavengers ..............................................
Bird eaters ...........................................
Insect eaters ........................................
Fish eaters ...........................................
Blood suckers ......................................
Dead animals ......................................
Falcons
Spiders
Sea Lions
Vampire Bats
Vultures
HERBIVORES - Animals that eat plants
Herbivores are gentle creatures that eat plants.  As plants are not high in fat and protein, herbivores have to eat a great deal in order to maintain their bodies.  Animals that eat the most nutritious parts of plants - nuts, seeds and fruit) may only eat a modest amount, but animals that eat low-quality plants or parts of plants - grass , bark and leaves, have to eat a great deal to stay healthy. Herbivores spend much time foraging for their food and have to eat regularly to keep up their energy.

The feeding strategies for herbivores are:
Foliovores ................................................
Frugavores ..............................................
Granivores ...............................................
Graminivore .............................................
Mucivores ................................................
Nectavores ..............................................
Palynivore ................................................
Xycophages .............................................
Leaf eaters ...........................................
Fruit eaters ...........................................
Grain eaters .........................................
Grass eaters ........................................
Plant fluid consumers .......................
Nectar consumers ..............................
Pollen eaters ........................................
Wood eaters .........................................
Koalas
Fruit Bats
Parrots and Pigeons
Cattle
Aphids
Honey Possum
Bees
Termites
OMNIVORES - Animals that eat both other animals and plants
Omnivores eat both plants and animal matter and have. therefore, more sources of food available.  Some omnivores include:

*   Bears     *    Turtles     *    Squirrels     *     Monkeys, Apes and Baboons     *     Rats     *    Badgers