27 Animals That Eat Plants and Animals (From Backyard Critters to Ocean Dwellers)
October 26, 2026
A grizzly bear spends most of its day grazing on berries and roots, yet it can outrun a horse and take down an elk in seconds. That contradiction is the whole story behind animals that eat plants and animals: creatures built to switch diets whenever the opportunity arises. Biologists call these species omnivores, and they make up a much larger slice of the animal kingdom than most people assume.
This list covers 27 omnivorous animals, from familiar backyard visitors like raccoons and squirrels to ocean dwellers like piranhas and carp. Some rely on plants for the bulk of their calories and only eat meat when it’s convenient. Others lean carnivorous but round out their diet with fruit, seeds, or algae. Understanding what do omnivores eat reveals just how flexible survival strategies in nature can be, and why generalists often outlast specialists when conditions change.
1. Bears
The American black bear (Ursus americanus) is one of the most recognizable examples of omnivores in North America. Despite belonging to the order Carnivora, black bears get roughly 85 percent of their calories from plants, including berries, nuts, grasses, and roots. When the opportunity arises, they also eat insects, fish, and occasionally deer fawns or elk calves.
This dietary flexibility is what makes bears such successful survivors across such varied terrain. A bear in the Appalachian foothills might spend a summer gorging on blackberries, while one in coastal Alaska times its year around salmon runs. That adaptability is a defining trait among animals that eat other animals without depending on meat exclusively.
Key Insight: Bears shift their diet seasonally rather than daily. In spring they favor tender shoots and grasses; by fall they binge on high-calorie nuts and berries to build fat reserves for winter denning.
2. Pigs
Domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) are textbook examples of omnivores that thrive on almost anything. On a typical farm, their diet includes grain, vegetable scraps, and commercial feed, but pigs kept in pasture settings will also root out worms, grubs, and small reptiles. Their strong sense of smell and flexible snout make them efficient foragers for both plant and animal matter.
This adaptability traces back to the species’ evolutionary history as opportunistic feeders. According to WorldAtlas, pigs’ digestive systems can process a wider range of food sources than most farm animals, which is part of why they’ve been domesticated across nearly every continent.
3. Wild boars
Sus scrofa, the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, shows the same omnivorous flexibility in a rougher environment. Wild boars root through forest floors for acorns, tubers, and fungi, but they’ll readily eat earthworms, insect larvae, small rodents, and even carrion when plant food is scarce. This constant rooting behavior also makes them significant ecosystem engineers, turning over soil across woodlands in the eastern and southern United States.
Wild boar populations have expanded rapidly in states like Texas and Georgia partly because their diet is so unrestricted. A single boar can adapt from crop damage in agricultural areas to scavenging in suburban fringe zones without missing a meal.
| Animal | Typical Plant Foods | Typical Animal Foods |
|---|---|---|
| Bears | Berries, nuts, roots, grasses | Fish, insects, occasional fawns |
| Pigs | Grain, vegetable scraps, roots | Worms, grubs, small reptiles |
| Wild boars | Acorns, tubers, fungi | Earthworms, larvae, small rodents, carrion |
| Raccoons | Fruit, nuts, corn | Crayfish, eggs, small vertebrates |
4. Raccoons
Few animals capture the everyday reality of omnivore diet examples better than the raccoon (Procyon lotor). Their dexterous front paws let them forage crayfish and frogs from streambeds one night and raid a garden’s sweet corn the next. In suburban areas across the US, raccoons have become notorious for tipping over trash cans, a habit that reflects just how unspecialized their palate really is.
Raccoons also prey opportunistically on eggs, nestlings, and small reptiles, including animals that eat snakes occasionally targeting young or slow-moving species. This combination of plant foraging and active predation lets raccoons thrive in habitats ranging from dense forest to city parks.
5. Foxes
The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is often described as a carnivore, but its actual diet tells a more nuanced story. Foxes eat rodents, birds, and rabbits, yet they also consume substantial amounts of berries, apples, and other fruit, especially in late summer and fall. In some regions, fruit can make up close to a third of a fox’s seasonal diet.
This flexibility helps explain why red foxes have adapted so well to farmland and suburban edges throughout the United States. A fox that can’t find enough rabbits will fall back on windfall fruit or insects, a strategy shared by many animals that eat bunnies without depending on them exclusively.
6. Skunks
The striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) has a reputation built around its defensive spray, but its diet is what makes it a genuine omnivore. Skunks eat insects, grubs, and small rodents, along with berries, grasses, and even birdseed left out in backyards. Their diet shifts noticeably with the seasons, leaning heavily on insects in summer and more on plant matter in fall.
Because skunks are effective at controlling grub populations, they’re often considered beneficial to gardens despite their smell. Many homeowners dealing with rodent problems find that skunks, alongside other animals that eat rats, help keep small mammal populations in check naturally.
7. Opossums
The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is North America’s only native marsupial, and its diet is about as unspecialized as they come. Opossums eat fruit, grains, and carrion alongside insects, snails, and small vertebrates. This near-total lack of pickiness lets them survive in habitats where more selective feeders would struggle.
Opossums are also famously resistant to certain snake venoms, which allows them to eat venomous species that most predators avoid. Their broad diet places them firmly among animals that start with O that play an underappreciated role in controlling pest insects and ticks around homes and farms.
8. Humans
Humans (Homo sapiens) are the most widely distributed omnivores on the planet, and our dietary flexibility is a major reason why. According to National Geographic Education, omnivores like humans occupy a middle position in the food web, able to extract energy from both plant and animal tissue thanks to a digestive system suited to processing both.
Study.com notes that human dentition, with its mix of flat molars for grinding plants and sharper incisors for tearing meat, reflects this same dual capability. Historically, this flexibility let human populations settle in nearly every terrestrial biome, from arctic tundra to tropical rainforest, adjusting diet composition based on whatever food sources were locally available.
Important Note: Dietary needs vary by individual and health status. This section describes general biological classification, not nutritional advice; consult a registered dietitian or physician for personal dietary guidance.
9. Chimpanzees
Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) get most of their calories from fruit, leaves, seeds, and bark, but they also hunt cooperatively for meat. Research groups studying wild chimpanzee troops have documented coordinated hunts of smaller monkeys, a behavior that sets chimps apart from most other primates. According to A-Z Animals, chimpanzees are among the best-documented examples of omnivores because their hunting behavior has been studied extensively in the wild.
This mix of foraging and hunting requires social coordination that few other omnivores display. Meat typically makes up a small percentage of a chimpanzee’s overall diet, but the behavioral complexity involved in obtaining it has made chimps a key subject in studies of primate cognition.
10. Hedgehogs
The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), along with related species kept as pets in the US, eats a mix of insects, slugs, and worms alongside fruit, fungi, and the occasional bird egg. Their spines and nocturnal habits help them forage safely in gardens and hedgerows without much competition from daytime predators.
Hedgehogs are also known for spending long stretches in torpor or hibernation, which places them among animals that sleep a lot during colder months. Their name itself reflects a habit shared by many animals that start with H found across temperate woodland habitats.
11. Squirrels
The eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is a familiar sight in US backyards, and its diet extends well beyond the acorns and nuts most people associate with it. Squirrels also eat bird eggs, insects, and occasionally young birds, especially in spring when protein-rich food helps support reproduction and growth.
According to A-Z Animals, squirrels are one of the clearest examples of omnivores hiding in plain sight, since most people only notice their nut-caching behavior and overlook the animal protein portion of their diet.
Pro Tip: If you notice squirrels raiding a bird feeder for eggs rather than seed, it’s a sign the local squirrel population needs more natural food sources nearby, not necessarily a pest problem.
12. Chickens
Domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) are enthusiastic omnivores despite their reputation as grain-eaters. Free-range chickens actively hunt insects, worms, and even small mice, and they’ll eat table scraps that include both vegetables and meat. This instinct traces back to their wild jungle fowl ancestors, which foraged forest floors for a similarly varied diet.
Backyard chicken keepers should also know that certain garden plants are toxic to poultry, a topic covered in detail on plants that are poisonous to birds. Balancing a chicken’s natural foraging instincts with a safe environment is part of responsible flock management.
13. Crows
The American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) is one of the most behaviorally flexible birds in North America, and its diet reflects that intelligence. Crows eat grains, fruit, and seeds, but they also take eggs, nestlings, insects, and carrion without hesitation. Urban crows have even learned to drop nuts onto roads so passing cars crack the shells for them.
This same opportunism extends to animals that eat butterflies and other soft-bodied insects, which crows will snatch from foliage when better food sources aren’t available. Their problem-solving skills make them one of the most studied omnivorous birds worldwide.
14. Ravens
The common raven (Corvus corax) shares many traits with its crow relatives but tends to range across wilder, more remote territory. Ravens eat carrion, small mammals, and insects, along with berries, grains, and discarded human food near campsites and landfills. Their scavenging behavior makes them important cleanup agents in ecosystems from desert canyons to alpine forests.
According to YourDictionary, ravens are frequently cited among bird examples of omnivores because their diet shifts so dramatically based on geography and season, from coastal scavenging to inland hunting of small rodents.
15. Ostriches
The ostrich (Struthio camelus) is primarily a plant eater, grazing on grasses, seeds, and shrubs across the African savanna, but it isn’t strictly herbivorous. Ostriches also eat insects, lizards, and small rodents when they encounter them while foraging, and they swallow small stones to help grind food in their gizzard.
This occasional animal protein intake is enough to classify ostriches among animals that are both herbivores and carnivores depending on availability, even though plant matter dominates their diet by a wide margin.
16. Cassowaries
The southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), native to the rainforests of Australia and New Guinea, is best known for eating fallen fruit, and its digestive tract plays a critical role in dispersing seeds for dozens of rainforest plant species. But cassowaries also eat fungi, insects, snails, and small vertebrates when the opportunity presents itself.
According to ActiveWild, cassowaries are considered keystone omnivores in their ecosystem because so many rainforest trees depend on the bird’s mixed diet and movement patterns for seed dispersal that no other animal replicates as effectively.
17. Gulls
The herring gull (Larus argentatus) is a coastal generalist whose diet includes fish, crustaceans, and mollusks alongside fruit, seeds, and human food scraps stolen from beaches and parking lots. This adaptability has made gulls one of the most successful bird families along both US coastlines.
Gulls will also raid the nests of other seabirds for eggs and chicks, showing the same opportunistic streak found in many animals that start with G. Their willingness to eat almost anything is a major reason gull populations have thrived even as coastal habitats have changed.
18. Piranhas
The red-bellied piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri) has a fearsome reputation, but its actual diet is far more varied than popular culture suggests. Piranhas eat fruit, seeds, and aquatic plants for a large portion of their diet, supplementing this with fish, insects, and occasionally larger prey when hunting in groups.
Their teeth, adapted for both slicing plant matter and tearing flesh, place piranhas among the clearest freshwater animals that start with P that qualify as true omnivores rather than pure predators.
19. Catfish
The channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), one of the most common freshwater fish in the United States, is an opportunistic bottom feeder that eats algae, aquatic plants, and detritus alongside insects, crustaceans, and smaller fish. Their barbels, the whisker-like sensory organs around their mouths, help them locate food in murky water where sight is less useful.
This scavenging flexibility is part of why catfish populations remain stable across such a wide range of river and lake conditions, from clear mountain streams to slow, silty lowland waterways.
20. Carp
The common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is another freshwater omnivore, feeding on aquatic vegetation, algae, and decaying plant matter along with insect larvae, worms, and small invertebrates found in bottom sediment. Carp are considered invasive in much of the US, and their unrestricted diet is part of what makes them so difficult to control once established in a waterway.
Because carp will root through sediment much like wild boars root through soil, they can significantly disturb aquatic ecosystems, stirring up nutrients that fuel algae blooms in lakes and slow-moving rivers.
21. Box turtles
The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina) is a common sight in woodlands and meadows across the eastern US, and its diet shifts noticeably as it ages. Juveniles tend to eat more insects and other small invertebrates for the protein needed to grow, while adults shift toward a diet weighted more heavily toward fruit, mushrooms, and animals that eat leaves alongside occasional earthworms and slugs.
This age-related dietary shift is well documented among terrestrial turtles and reflects changing nutritional needs rather than a change in food availability alone.
22. Skinks
The five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) is a small, fast-moving lizard found throughout the eastern United States, and it feeds primarily on insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates. Skinks will also eat berries, seeds, and soft plant matter when they encounter it, particularly in late summer when fruit becomes more abundant.
According to NatureWorks NHPBS, reptiles like skinks demonstrate how omnivorous behavior isn’t limited to large mammals or birds, and even small, cold-blooded animals can shift their diet seasonally to match what’s available.
23. Bearded dragons
The bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps), a popular pet reptile native to Australia’s arid interior, is a well-documented example of dietary flexibility across its lifespan. Juveniles eat mostly insects to fuel rapid growth, while adults shift toward a diet that’s roughly 75 to 80 percent leafy greens and vegetables, with insects making up the remainder.
This shift makes bearded dragons a useful case study for anyone researching examples of omnivores, since the ratio of plant to animal food changes so predictably and dramatically with age.
24. Ants
Many common ant species function as generalist omnivores, feeding on seeds, nectar, and fungus alongside other insects, small invertebrates, and even scraps of dead animal matter. The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta), an invasive species now widespread across the southern US, is a particularly aggressive example, hunting live insects while also tending aphid colonies for their sugary secretions.
Ant colonies operate around the clock, which places them among animals that never sleep in the conventional sense, since worker ants take only brief rest periods rather than extended sleep cycles.
- Seeds and plant nectar for quick-access carbohydrates
- Fungus cultivated within some colony structures
- Live insects captured through coordinated hunting
- Honeydew secreted by aphids the ants protect
- Dead insects and small animal remains scavenged opportunistically
25. Cockroaches
The American cockroach (Periplaneta americana), despite its name, is found throughout homes and buildings across the entire United States, and it will eat almost any organic material it encounters. Cockroaches eat decaying plant matter, starches, and sugars alongside dead insects, meat scraps, and even materials like glue or hair in extreme cases.
This near-total dietary flexibility is a major reason cockroaches have survived largely unchanged for hundreds of millions of years, adapting to whatever food sources happen to be present in a given environment.
Common Mistake: Assuming cockroaches only eat garbage or filth. In the wild, they primarily feed on decaying leaves, fungi, and small invertebrates; indoor infestations simply reflect the same opportunistic feeding applied to a kitchen environment.
26. Beetles
Beetle diets vary enormously across the roughly 400,000 known species worldwide, but many, including the American carrion beetle (Necrophila americana), qualify as true omnivores. This species feeds on decaying animal carcasses alongside fungi and other organic plant matter, playing an important role in breaking down dead material in forests and fields.
Other beetle species split their diet between plant tissue and smaller insects, making beetles collectively one of the most dietarily diverse insect groups on the planet, with feeding strategies ranging from strict herbivory to active predation and everything in between.
27. Crabs
The blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), common along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, is an opportunistic scavenger that eats algae, seagrass, and detritus alongside mollusks, small fish, and even other crabs. This willingness to eat nearly anything available on the seafloor makes blue crabs important recyclers of organic material in estuary ecosystems.
Crabs also demonstrate cannibalistic tendencies when food is scarce, a behavior documented across several crustacean species and one that highlights just how far opportunistic feeding can extend among animals that eat plants and animals.
Final Thoughts on Omnivorous Animals
From grizzly bears gorging on salmon and berries to blue crabs scavenging estuary floors, these 27 species share one defining trait: the willingness to eat whatever food source offers the best return for the least effort. That flexibility, according to Wikipedia’s overview of trophic levels, is exactly what places omnivores in the middle tier of food webs, connected to both plant producers and animal consumers rather than locked into either role.
Whether it’s a raccoon raiding a garden, a chicken hunting insects in the yard, or a piranha grazing on fallen fruit, omnivorous animals prove that survival often favors the adaptable over the specialized. Anyone curious about animals that eat plants exclusively will find the contrast striking: pure herbivores depend entirely on what’s growing nearby, while omnivores keep options open no matter the season.