omnivore
Sign in to savethumb|Examples of omnivores. From left to right: humans, [[dogs, pigs, channel catfish, American crows, gravel ant]] thumb|Among birds, the hooded crow is a typical omnivore. An omnivore () is an animal that eats both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize the nutrients and energy of the sources absorbed. Often, they have the ability to incorporate food sources such as algae, fungi, and bacteria into their diet.
AI overview
An omnivore is an animal that eats both plants and animals to obtain the energy and nutrients it needs to survive. Because omnivores can digest different types of food sources—including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and fiber from both plant and animal matter—they have greater dietary flexibility than animals that eat only one type of food.
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Article
8 sectionsContents
- Etymology and definitions
- Classification, contradictions and difficulties
- Omnivorous species
- General
- Omnivorous mammals
- Other species
- See also
- References
thumb|Examples of omnivores. From left to right: humans, [[dogs, pigs, channel catfish, American crows, gravel ant]] thumb|Among birds, the hooded crow is a typical omnivore. An omnivore () is an animal that eats both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize the nutrients and energy of the sources absorbed. Often, they have the ability to incorporate food sources such as algae, fungi, and bacteria into their diet.
Omnivores come from diverse backgrounds that often independently evolved sophisticated consumption capabilities. For instance, dogs evolved from primarily carnivorous organisms (Carnivora) while pigs evolved from primarily herbivorous organisms (Artiodactyla). Despite this, physical characteristics such as tooth morphology may be reliable indicators of diet in mammals, with such morphological adaptation having been observed in bears.